New Faces in the Starting Line-Up

 

 

Kevin Lloyd- High School Principal

Kasey Rush- High School Intervention Specialist

Tim Fuller- Middle School Intervention Specialist

Courtney Lebrun- Elementary Teacher

Gail Rowe- Elementary Secretary

 

I know your child will find these professionals willing to go the extra distance to meet your child’s needs to grow academically and socially this school year.

You will notice there are several changes this year with the teaching staff.

The majority of these changes came about due to the Third Grade Reading Guarantee and our district needing to comply fully with this law. In addition, we also had some teachers requested to changes to their teaching assignments. As of July 31, 2013 these changes have us compliant for the 2013 and 2014 school year in regards to the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.

Speaking of changes, I attended a meeting up in Columbus where I was able to listen to Jamie Vollmer, a national speaker on school reform. In this meeting, he said, “If you examine Fortune 500 companies, they are constantly trying new ideas to improve and filtering out old ones.” Vollmer’s research showed/revealed that companies that don’t do this have a hard time surviving. A simple glimpse into cell phones and the rise and decline of Blackberry might be a recent example. This company once was a premier cell phone producer and now its survival is in question. In education we must be constantly looking at data and trying to adapt to our ever changing world. The state and federal governments are intervening more than ever, to try and force schools to educate ALL students at their highest levels. Many systems are set up to select and sort students, and not educate ALL students equally with the same expectations. The sad thing is; there is NO evidence to support this old model or the idea that schools want to embrace that the speed someone learns is equated to his/her ability learn. Each of us and our children come to the table with different strengths and areas to grow. The Third Grade Reading Guarantee is one example of the new mind set mandated by law. I think this is a very important concept we need to get out into our community. Ohio’s report card of school districts will be changing next year as well. Districts will be graded in multiple categories with letter grades ranging from A-F. The mind set with this new system is ALL KIDS will learn and achieve at high levels. The days are gone of select and sort and now the focus is on all children showing growth in every subject area. These new mandates that schools have to follow will make sure we continue on our journey and that school is a place for ALL children to learn.

Here at Valley we will have to adapt and change to meet the needs of our children. This past year we started making adjustments to meet these new expectations. In all honesty, as a fellow parent, I believe all children should have equal opportunities in class selection, expectations, teacher quality, and other factors in school life. Change is all around us, and it isn’t slowing down by any means.

I want to look down at just the last 50 years of education and some of the changes before I wrap this up:

 

1960’s :

• Advanced Placement programs

• Head start

• Title 1

• Adult education

• Consumer education

• Career education

• Peace, leisure, and recreation education

 

1970’s

• Drug and alcohol abuse education

• Parenting education

• Behavior adjustment classes

• Character education

• Special education

• Title IX programs

• Environmental education

• Women’s studies

• School breakfast programs

 

1980’s

• Keyboarding and computer education

• Global education

• Multi-cultural education

• Non-sexiest education

• English as a second language

• Teen pregnancy awareness

• Pre-school

• After school programs

• Alternative education

• Stranger education

• Child abuse monitoring

• Anti-smoking education

• Expanded Psychological services

 

1990’s

• Conflict resolution education

• HIV/AIDS education

• Death education

• Inclusion

• Expanded computer and internet education

• Tech prep and school to work programs

• Post-secondary programs

• Talented and gifted programs

• At risk for dropping out programs

• Homeless education

• Gang education

• Service learning

• Bus safety, bicycle safety and water safety

 

In the 21st Century we have added:

• No Child Left Behind

• Bully prevention

• Anti-harassment policies

• Expanded early childhood education

• Elevator safety

• Body Mass Index screening

• Personal Finance literacy

• Media Literacy

• Health and Wellness programs

• Race to the Top

 

When you look at that list please realize we could add even more. The new model of education will have our students being pushed harder than before in a way that is suitable to their strengths, talents, and readiness. This means our teaching staff will also be teaching differently in the past. The new state mandated evaluation tool for teachers makes sure this will be a reality. Valley Local Schools for the past 125 years has a lot to be proud of on and off the field. Our teachers throughout the years have taken all these initiatives and implemented them to help our students succeed. As we move from the “select and sort” to the “education of all children,” I know we will be able to rise to the occasion for the good of our students and community.

Schools surely cannot do it alone. It will take our parents and community to help change the old mind set along with dedicated and caring teachers to make the transition.  As we continue on our journey of transforming for the better of why we exist, CHILDREN; thank you in advance for you support.

Vince Lombardi said, “Success demands a singleness of purpose,” and to that I would say our singleness of purpose should be. “It’s about ALL kids.” Have a great and blessed 2013- 2014 school year.