Walk the Talk

So I’ve gotten a few blog responses about previous postings – which is great fun!  It means the parent dialogue is slowly starting and we’re “finding each other” as far as areas of interest.  Plus, by sharing information, we’ll learn so much more together in a shorter amount of time.

So here are a few updates:

• PTA Representation: I “challenged” parents to join their PTA and/or local parent group.  In response, I have agreed to be the BSD representative for the DE PTA.  It is my understanding that it perhaps has been YEARS since BSD had a representative at the state PTA.  So now is our chance to gather more resources, get involved in some of the state efforts that are directly impacting our classrooms (i.e. DCAS details, Common Core understanding, etc.) and demonstrate our parent commitment to education throughout our district. Let me know what you’d like to hear from the state level and/or resources our district parents need. I believe in the power and passion of parents for their kids, so let me know how we can work together to set the bar higher.

• RttT BUDGET!!!:  I’ve tracked down some figures – so this will at least give us a starting point for the initial allocation of funding under BSD’s plans for RttT.  In very simple terms, for BSD their RttT funds in Year 1 were allocated to: 
• 60% staffing
• 20% trainings
•   6% supplies & materials
•   7% contracted services
•   7% indirect costs

I am trying to get clarification from the district as to their definition of contracted services and indirect costs, so an update will be coming.

In addition, some very detailed-focused parents also sent me resources to track the grant funding from a state and national perspective in a much more detailed level.  Happy to share in greater circulation if requested, but I’m thinking busy parents only want the “big picture highlights” before going into too much more detail.  Again, let me know if my assumptions are correct.

o        Vision 2015 Conference:  I did attend this Rodel Foundation event yesterday and have mixed feelings as to the content.  The biggest omission to me, once again, was a parent voice.  There were federal, state and panel representatives throughout the day.  Occasionally the parents might be mentioned in a list of stakeholders, but our perspective and opinions were not strongly voiced. And I think we need to change that!  I’ll have a future posting dedicated to more about this event, but the other items that stand out for me the next day are:

§         Parents need to get involved – NOW. 

§         William Budinger, the Founder of the Rodel Foundations, “gets it” as to the profound educational shift our children are facing today compared to previous generations.

§         The advantage of Delaware being a small state that can respond quickly by gathering resources together is equally disadvantaged by the “bubble” of local influence and perspectives that seem to perpetuate itself – if the DE school systems were so great, we wouldn’t need RttT!

§         The educational jargon distorts real results.  I didn’t get a good comfort feeling that things are improving for kids in a positive way, quickly enough.

o        ADVOCACY for our children by their parents has been proven to be the difference that turns around school districts and education.  The administrations, principals and teachers can’t complete this huge endeavor without communities, businesses and most importantly parents being involved.  And it can be simple things that we do together -- better understanding of the building cultures, volunteering for field trips, educating parents as to grade level goals, challenging the results of state tests not being what was promised, etc.  More to come on this in future postings!

Let me hear from you as to your parent perspective on this posting and/or other topics.