No Way to Treat Them

I find it insulting whenever I see that various government bodies fund schools based on a given amount per student. It as if, according to their thinking, that this is a 'fair' way of dispensing money. That might be true if all the other variables were the same. That's certainly not the case.

An affluent area in a district, with little crime, high employment and other positive school/learning environmental factors shouldn't be penalized for being successful. On the other hand school children in less affluent areas where other factors mitigate against learning could use greater funding to compensate for the negative influences surrounding the learning situation.

It may sound 'fair' to dole out the same amount of money to every school based on a particular amount per student but fair is in the eyes of the beholder. Just what comprises 'fair' in one situation is not necessarily so in another instance. What I believe is 'fair' is to provide each school what the leaders of that school deem as necessary to properly educate their students. In that regard, the amount provided per student will surely differ from one school to another.

We went through an era of 'separate but equal' and we don't need to go there again!!

Dick

Well, What do you Know!!

Yesterday, CPS Board Member Andrea Zopp actually made an admission of sorts. Ms. Zopp essentially said it was hypocritical of CPS to close 50 schools in 2013 while opening new charters at the same time. In her own words, Zopp remarked, "We cannot continue to open new seats [charters] and then say 'Well we closed schools because we have too many seats.' It's highly hypocritical."

Zopp went further on charters. "But we need to be thoughtful and strategic about what schools are where, and also make sure they're performing charters. Many of our charters are not performing."

Many citizens are under the impression that just because a public school becomes a charter then all is well. That isn't the case. The name of a school system and how it is organized is not assurance of student success. Student growth and success has many, many variables and whether it is a charter or not has little to do with such achievement.

Let's hope other CPS personnel heed this warning.

Dick

Slipping Away

For the first time in some years, the population of the CPS schools has dipped below 400,000 students. To most, that isn't all that meaningful. After all, you teach whoever shows up at the door. I get that point. What is troubling is the fact that the slid has other implications for all of those involved in running and attending the schools.

For one, state and federal funding is affected by enrollment on the 20th day of classes. There is certainly bound to be less of these funds heading to CPS schools due to the decline in enrollment.

Just as troubling, at least to me, is the constant drip of students out of the CPS system into the myriad number of other school systems in the city. The reason I raise the issue is not to take a shot at these systems; rather, the more students who leave CPS the more the negativity surrounds those who remain within the hallways of CPS schools.

Critics of CPS will say that the options offered elsewhere better serve the students. Whether this is true or not may be tough to judge and never really comprehended by the masses.

For me, it is hard to watch the system lose students.

Dick

Public Schools

I was well on my way to get a cup of coffee and to add a second segment on the wonderful book I am reading entitled "How Children Succeed. Well, as I pondered the next couple of ideas I wanted to make in today's blog it suddenly occurred to me that I had a more pressing urge. That urge deals with the true meaning of public education.

There are selective schools, charters and other public school facilities that aren't really part of the normal neighborhood school. What really irks me is the fact that every darn school in this country ought to be 'selective' in the sense that it has an unbelievable faculty, great facilities (for the most part) and so very many rich programs.

Every public school in every corner of this country ought to have all the tools that selective schools have at their disposal. To ignore making every school 'selective' is to ignore the growth of children. Creating 'selectives' merely says that some students count and that other students count for less. That is the message whether people like it or not. Just a different form of discrimination!!

Dick

"How Children Succeed"

We have been going along full steam for the past couple of years being told that all educators had to do to ensure student success was to make sure that we did a great job at cognitive development. Of course that level of cognition can always be assessed/measured and that is one of the reasons for all the testing.

Some of the most recent studies have found that what matters most in terms of children succeeding is not getting young people stuffed early in life with numbers and reading. To be sure, this is not a rant about the need for cognitive development; rather, it is an examination of the forces that have a larger bearing on long term success in life.

Paul Tough has found that what really makes a difference in one life are the forces of grit, curiosity, persistence and the hidden power of character. His research, along with that of others, across many spectrum (social sciences, stress physiologists, economics and more) have found that the care and attention children receive in early life are the building blocks that shape the above qualities.

Tough has found that it doesn't matter if a child is reared in an economically impoverished home or that in a wealthy neighborhood. What matters is limiting the stress that anyone can confront and stress can be found in within any socio-economic area or locality. All of that being said, it is likely that children in locations of high crime, poverty, broken homes and the like face greater stress obstacles.

If we are truly looking at helping children succeed then we need to examine current practices and look at other meaningful ways of assisting children as we school them.

Dick

KICK keeps on Kicking In

Led by seniors; Tim Brankin, Austin Beard, Wes Begevin, Evan Floersch and Justin Yi, the Hinsdale Central Boys Soccer Team scored BIG in its KICK effort this fall. As a unit, along with their teammates at all levels, the HC teams raised $6,010.00 through various endeavors.

The KICK effort is providing the funds to Schools Count Corp. so that we can continue to aid students in both the Chicagoland area as well as in other locations. The $6,010.00 is the second highest amount ever raised during the six years of KICK's existence. To the five seniors, their teammates, HC soccer parents and local businesses, please accept my thanks for making it possible for students to have a better chance of realizing success in their studies.

Your contributions are most significant even beyond the supplies you provide to the children!!

Many thanks,
Dick

Crop Walk Success

The CWS Hunger Crop Walk in Mt. Morris was a whopping success. Thanks to our generous donors the 'Flesher' team raised $1050.00. I have participated in this walk and this is the first time we have been able to raise over $1,000.00. No doubt, some families in the Polo, IL area will be better fed because of your generosity.

Thanks,
Dick