Visiting our schools is always is a good thing.  I get to learn more about what we do, I get to meet more amazing teachers, and I get to see children put in to action all those strategies we have adults explaining to us at our Work Sessions and Board Meetings.  This time I was “Principal for a Day” at Abbett Elementary.  Mr. Kline did a wonderful job of sharing with me what it is like to be a student and teacher at Abbett.
 
            One of the first things I saw is what is called “flex seating.”  While I’ve seen the big “stability” balls used at desks at schools before, I have not seen it used to the extent it is at Abbett nor given an extensive explanation to why it is used.  Mr. Kline explained that children live in a world where adults are making their choices for them all day.  With “flex seating,” children get their own choice as to where and how they will sit.  Other benefits to “flex seating” include the ability for movement so kids aren’t sedentary as they sit at a traditional chair, plus it brings more of a sense of community to a classroom as they may have the opportunity to interact with a larger number of their classmates than with traditional seating charts.  There were several different options for the students and they seemed all have their favorites.
 
            As I visited with Mr. Kline, I was impressed with the staff’s use of brain-based strategies. The first few minutes of every morning in each classroom focuses on students becoming more in tune with their mind, learning how their brain functions and reacts to their choices, and how to make the best decisions throughout one’s day. These social and emotional brain-based strategies are taught and demonstrated throughout the school day.  In many situations, we see a bad behavior followed by punishment. But at Abbett, the staff focuses more on what caused the behavior and discussion takes place on what could have been done differently and how the negative behavior can be eliminated. 
 
            What impressed me most about Mr. Kline is his approach at being a new principal in a new school.  Mr. Kline has been at Abbett just less than a year and a half, coming from Nebraska, and before that, Maplewood.  Instead of taking all of his strategies he used at Nebraska and Maplewood and putting them in to place at Abbett, Mr. Kline researched and learned about his student body. He knows that these students are not all the same as the students at his previous school, so he has researched what techniques are best for this student body and puts these strategies in place. He realizes that many of his students at Abbett come to schools with “ACEs” (Adverse Childhood Experiences). He understands that to some of these children, school is their safe haven and he wants to capitalize on that. It is obvious that he wants his students to feel safe at school, to feel part of a community, and to gain an understanding of who they are and how their behavior can be modified to make them contributors to their education as well as their social and emotional well-being.  During my visit, it was obvious these children are not only learning about math, language, science, and social studies…they are learning about themselves and how the choices they make affect them.
 
            As Mr. Kline has taught the children at Abbett: Kind Feet, Kind Hands, Kind  Words, First Time Every Time…these are his four rules and they seem to be working well!

     As the Levan Scott Academy principal, Ms. Fryman, and I walked into a classroom, children were gathered around the teacher listening to the story she was reading. All eyes were fixed on the teacher with the exception of one young lady who was working a puzzle. This was all part of the Conscious Discipline method used at Scott.  Every child has her safe place to go when she is upset and the classroom setting is not working. This is exactly what was going on with the child working the puzzle.  According to the principal, by using Conscious Discipline, referrals decreased by 200 hundred since its implementation and use school-wide.
 
     Ms. Fryman continued to show me the classrooms throughout the school. As we walked into the three different second grade classrooms, they were all using the new math curriculum. Although they were all teaching the same content – inverse operation - each teacher was doing it just a little differently. One teacher had manipulatives so the children could use these for subtraction.  One teacher was using both “2nd grade problems” and “adult problems” to show that the concept worked no matter how large the numbers.  One teacher was having her students work problems in their math workbooks. 
 
     Because of the growth in Scott Academy, a module was added in the back of the building. Having only seen modules from the outside, I was very curious to see what one looked like on the inside. To my surprise, the module very much resembled the actual school. The music room was similar to any other elementary music room I have observed, adorned with instruments, chairs, and any other items to enhance a music class.  Two fifth grade classrooms are housed in the module. One fifth grade teacher kept her children engaged and focused in their small, hot classroom.  Even I became mesmerized by her reading, retelling, and acting out of the social studies book.  The other fifth grade classroom remained focused even after Ms. Fryman and entered.  It was only after the teacher introduced us that they realized we were there.  He explained the role of a school board member and the “chain of command” for FWCS after his introduction.
 
    Levan Scott Academy is tucked away on the southeast side of Fort Wayne. The majority of students are minority students, and I was happy to see that many of the teachers and other staffed resembled those they are working with every day.  This school is a safe zone for many of these students, and the family-like setting created by the principal and other staff will forever be remembered by those attended this wonderful school. 

​           Every year when Teacher Appreciation Week comes around, I always think back to my teachers who made a difference in my life.  Four years ago, I wrote a little bit about 5 different teachers I had throughout my life who were special to me. Many of my teachers, in fact, are special, but those 5 stood out at that time.  I wrote about them in my blog here https://www.anneduffforeducation.com/my-favorite-educators.html
 
            Since writing that, a friend of Miss LaFontaine (now Mrs. Bierberstein) reached out to me and gave me her address. She told me that she was not on the internet – didn’t even have a computer – but would love to hear from me. So, I wrote her a letter and sent her what I had written. She wrote back to me, and it was so beautiful that I wanted to post it on my Facebook page, so I called her to get her permission.   Now we have been sending Christmas cards – hers with a personal, lengthy, beautifully handwritten letter – ever since. 
 
            Last winter, I helped another former teacher and co-worker, Mike Morris, plan a North Side Staff reunion. I looked through several years’ worth of yearbooks to make a list of North Side staff to invite the reunion. When I came across Mr. Grantham’s picture in the yearbook, I couldn’t believe how much he looked like a man from the gym. So, the next time I went to the gym, I asked Shane if he were related John Grantham at North Side. Shane replied that he was his son.  I told him how special his dad was to me and shared my blog post with him.  He was very happy to read what I had written and told me I had made his day and shared the blog with his family. 
 
            Now I have even more teachers to be thankful for – my teachers as well as my children’s teachers.  I love getting to know and having lasting relationships my children’s teachers. They are so lucky to have so many caring adults in their lives – each  one different from the next, and each one teaching my children a new way of thinking, feeling, doing, appreciating, and living.  I love the idea of so many adults showing my children different ways to think about the world in which we live.  My children grow every day because of the adults who are willing to work hard for very little except to simply make a difference in the lives of young people.  It definitely takes a special person to be a teacher – and I’m glad we have had some of the best!  They have left a lasting impression on not only my children but on me.  Thank you, teachers, for being such a meaningful part of our family!  We truly care about you!  

Growing up in a neighborhood where all the school-aged children walked to the nearby elementary for school every day is one of my favorite memories.

Going to school was my sanctuary. School was the place I could go where I knew adults would protect me, comfort me and even discipline me. My teachers also found in me qualities I didn't know I had – my strengths and my hidden talents they knew I could develop. My teachers made a difference in my life and became my inspiration to do the same for others. Thus, I became a teacher and then a guidance counselor because I had a passion for education and wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people, just as my teachers had done for me.

Much has changed in recent years, and I am outraged and fearful about the future of public education.

After making the decision to stay home to raise my three children, I never lost my love for my career and stayed connected to my teacher friends by volunteering and remaining in touch with what was happening in education. The more I continued to be involved in public education, the more I became bothered by the idea of the privatization of public schools. My husband read newspaper articles about education and asked my opinion as an educator. There was one recurring theme  I noticed, and that was the privatization of public education.

During this stay-at-home-mom time in my life, another mom and I saw that Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education was screening two films at the Cinema Center, “Waiting for Superman” one Sunday and “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman” the following Sunday. After attending the film series, we came away with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness as we became acutely aware that “education privateers” were profiting off our children.

Shortly thereafter, my friend and I attended the Omnibus Lecture Series featuring education activist Diane Ravitch. She reiterated what we had already learned: Public education is headed for privatization.

I wondered what could I do to make sure this didn't happen. How could I spread the word to others to let them know what could happen to our public schools? We decided to show “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman” to our PTA. We invited two members of NEIFPE to help us facilitate the discussion afterward.

Finally, I knew that my new calling was to fight and advocate for public education.

For the past six years, I have written letters to our legislators to express my concern about their expansion of the voucher/Choice Scholarship programs. I asked our legislators to put a pause on giving tax dollars to private schools so they can evaluate the benefits of these programs as well as require both financial and instructional oversight.

With voucher expansion, our public schools lose funding. Teacher pay has remained stagnant. Children have bounced back and forth between parochial and public schools.

What happened to the stability of the quality public education system that I grew up with? What makes our legislators believe private schools can educate better when clearly public schools, educating 90 percent of our young people, are still the primary choice for families?

I am horrified that this same privatization scheme is happening at the federal level with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd. House Resolution 5199, sponsored by Banks, once again takes federal dollars from public schools to educate children at parochial and private schools.
​
When will this madness stop? When will our legislators, both state and federal, stop depleting funding for our public schools, the one chance where children have an equal playing field to build a better future? It is time to bring back fully funded public schools so children will get that one chance, teachers will be respected and well paid, and schools will again be the hearts of our communities.
Please join me in writing your legislators and members of the State Board of Education. Let them know our public schools matter!

     A few weeks ago, our pastor’s wife introduced a young lady to me. They were both very excited because this young lady’s middle school team, Kekionga, placed 4th at the Future City Competition. Yet as I spoke to her, it was apparent that she knew her school had been given an “F” under our state’s “flawed” accountability system. She took this to heart…saying that they must be the “worst” middle school in town, and that “they” were coming that next week to interview people.  It broke my heart that she took this “F” so personally. I told her that she cannot let that letter grade define her.  I reiterated to her that her team just won 4th place in the Future City Competition and that there are other amazing things that happen in her school. I mentioned the Steel Drums as I have seen several of their performances because they travel around our city to different venues. I told her I was positive there are other great things happening at her school.
 
     That’s what prompted me to go look for myself. As I walked around the building with principal Matt Scheibel, I was impressed with everything I saw displayed on the walls. These items weren’t just there to make the building look attractive – they had relevance. Some displays recognized students for achievement and growth. Some recognized students for positive behavior. Other displays showed student work, while others reinforced the behavior expected from students – Wisdom, Achievement, Respect (WARriors). 
 
     As we stepped into classrooms, as always, I was very impressed by the learning that was happening. FWCS is no longer a school system where students listen to a lecture then do their homework.  In fact, I saw no lecturing happening at all at Kekionga. All students were involved in some kind of learning in a variety of creative ways. Some students were in small groups doing their work collaboratively. Some were using iPads or laptops to complete tasks. Others were engaged in learning how to use a microscope. Some students read quietly to themselves while another student was having an in-depth one on one instruction or discussion with a teacher.  Sometimes I saw two adults working with separate groups within the same classroom. Some classrooms had differentiated learning since not all children learn at the same level or at the same pace.  But no matter where I was, students were engaged and on task.
 
     Changing the culture of a school – especially one that was rated an “F” – can be a daunting task.  I saw nothing about Kekionga that would deem that school as an “F.” Yet the young student I met seemed to take that to heart…and that’s the part that is hard to change.  Mr. Scheibel is showing students and teachers alike that there are many successes at Kekionga and, under his leadership, they will find many more. If we could rate a school by enthusiasm, leadership, engagement, and growth, Kekionga is an “A+.” I look forward to the seeing the new culture evolve at Kekionga and seeing the student I met once again proud of all aspects of her school's perceived image.

If you read my letter in today's Journal Gazette, then you probably understand how important public education is to me and the important role of every citizen to be an advocate for quality public schools.  If you haven't read my letter yet, you can find it here.


And, although I posted these action steps previously, I think it is important to get involved.  Have you gotten your ticket for A Backpack Full  of Cash? Would you be wiling to host a House Party and invite some friends, parents, or neighbors to take part so everyone can learn about and discuss issues in public education?  

In case you missed these action steps, here they are again:

Action Steps
 
Host a House Party and view a film about education reform – contact NEIFPE@gmail.com if you are willing to host and would like volunteers to moderate discussion. 

• Education, Inc. A documentary about how money and politics are changing our schools.
• Rise Above the Mark is a documentary narrated by Peter Coyote that brings to light the heartbreaking realities of public education. It’s the story of what happens when politics enters the classroom.
• Race to Nowhere is a film that calls us to challenge current thinking about how we prepare our children for success. Named by TakePart.com as one of “10 Education Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss”, “Race to Nowhere” brings communities together to spark dialogue and galvanize change in America’s schools.
• GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of an American School District is a 90-minute documentary of one entire day in the Pasadena Unified School District. Pasadena is a racially and economically diverse community in Southern California with 28 public school campuses. GO PUBLIC tells the story of one full day from sun up to long after sundown. 

Attend School Board Meetings and Work Sessions
 
Follow the State Legislature, especially the Senate and House Education Committees, and the State Board of Education. Follow bills and write letters. https://iga.in.gov/   http://www.in.gov/sboe/
 
Attend the showing of Backpack Full of Cash on April 14.
 
Attend the Network for Public Education Conference in Indianapolis on October 20-21, 2018.
 
Make appointments to meet your legislators.
 
Campaign for pro-public education candidates.
 
Register to vote, do your research on the candidates and then VOTE. https://indianavoters.in.gov/
 
Spread the word – at the grocery, at the coffee shop, to your plumber, to your mom, at the bus stop, to your realtor, to your barber. Public Schools affect every member of our community. They are our future.

For additional resources, check out my blog post here.

A big THANK YOU to the Croninger PTA for inviting me to speak to them last night.  I introduced myself and gave them a bit of my background and education through  FWCS and how I became interested in becoming an advocate for public education.  For those of you interested in joining the fight for public education, I will share with you a little of the history of vouchers that I shared with the PTA.
 
In 2011, under the Tony Bennett/Mitch Daniels regime in Indiana and thanks to the influence of the Milton Freidman Foundation, ALEC, and the American Federation for Children, formerly chaired by Betsy DeVos, vouchers were first introduced with legislation passed during that year’s session. 
 
There were limitations to the amount of money the state would spend and qualifications students must have. $6.5 million was the limit and the voucher amount was $4500. The students must spend or have spent one year in a public school. This was supposed to be a social justice bill for low-income families who wanted to move their children to private schools but didn’t have the resources to do so.
 
You can see the income guidelines for a family of 4 on the chart.
 
The first two years this did save the state money, although Fort Wayne Community Schools only lost enough students that our overall expenses remained the same, but with less money.
 
In 2013, the voucher caps were removed and the amount grew to $4800. The pathways to receive a voucher also grew – there are now 8 pathways to receive a voucher with a couple of them being:

• Older sibling in private school, other siblings don’t need public school attendance  
• Live in attendance area where the public school has an F letter grade

 As you can see from the  chart at the very top of this page that the income qualifications have doubled for a family of four. Vouchers are no longer for the poor. They are now a middle class entitlement. Furthermore, more more than 50% of students receiving vouchers in a private religious school NEVER attended a public nor ever intended on doing so...they were always going to attend their private school. Now it's with our tax dollars. The "pot" has been spread thin for  our public schools because we are educating more students with that same pot of money.
 
Want to start advocating for YOUR  child? YOUR school? ALL children? Our public schools were designed to give EVERY child a fair shot a free, quality education.  Our schools are the future of our communities and are important to everyone.
 
Here are some resources to learn about what is happening in public education and how to fight to continue a free publication to all.
 
Resources
 
https://neifpe.blogspot.com/ (Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education)
 
http://icpe2011.com/ (Vic Smith – Statehouse Notes – At the Statehouse)
 
http://dianeravitch.com/
 
https://networkforpubliceducation.org/
 
https://www.ista-in.org/
 
http://www.livingindialogue.com/ (Anthony Cody)
 
https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/ (Mercedes Schneider)
 
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/ (Peter Greene)
 
http://www.pegwithpen.com/ (Peggy Robertson)
 
http://haveyouheardblog.com/ (EduShyster/Jennifer Berkshire)
 
https://inschoolmatters.wordpress.com/ (Steve Hinnefield)
 
Action Steps – the first steps to take to become an advocate for public education
 
Host a House Party and view a film about education reform – contact NEIFPE@gmail.com if you are willing to host and would like volunteers to moderate discussion. 

• Education, Inc. A documentary about how money and politics are changing our schools.
• Rise Above the Mark is a documentary narrated by Peter Coyote that brings to light the heartbreaking realities of public education. It’s the story of what happens when politics enters the classroom.
• Race to Nowhere is a film that calls us to challenge current thinking about how we prepare our children for success. Named by TakePart.com as one of “10 Education Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss”, “Race to Nowhere” brings communities together to spark dialogue and galvanize change in America’s schools.
• GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of an American School District is a 90-minute documentary of one entire day in the Pasadena Unified School District. Pasadena is a racially and economically diverse community in Southern California with 28 public school campuses. GO PUBLIC tells the story of one full day from sun up to long after sundown.

 
Attend School Board Meetings and Work Sessions
 
Follow the State Legislature, especially the Senate and House Education Committees, and the State Board of Education. Follow bills and write letters. https://iga.in.gov/   http://www.in.gov/sboe/ 

Attend the showing of Backpack Full of Cash on April 14.
 
Attend the Network for Public Education Conference in Indianapolis on October 20-21, 2018.
 
Make appointments to meet your legislators.
 
Campaign for pro-public education candidates.
 
Register to vote, do your research on the candidates and then VOTE. https://indianavoters.in.gov/
 
Spread the word – at the grocery, at the coffee shop, to your plumber, to your mom, at the bus stop, to your realtor, to your barber. Public Schools affect every member of our community. They are our future.
 

Administering the SAT test to all children is probably the most egregious attack on public education I have witnessed. These tests were designed as an entrance exam to a 4-year college; they were meant for the roughly 20-35% of students who wish to pursue a 4-year degree. What will this do for students with learning disabilities?  Why is this necessary for students who wish to pursue a 2-year degree from a technical school? How does this help the student who attends Anthis or any other career education center for a license in cosmetology, certification as a CNA, welder, computer repairperson, or any other program that trains students to enter the world of work immediately after high school?
 
Research shows that only 20-35% of jobs require a 4-year college degree or beyond. So why must we subject roughly 70% of our students to taking a test that is unnecessary for their career goals and objectives? Why must we grade our schools on a test in which 70% of our students have no stake? 
 
I am a parent of three public school children who have had an amazing education in Fort Wayne Community Schools. Although the proposed accountability measures will not affect my children directly, they WILL affect hundreds of children succeeding them as well the community in which I live and have raised my children.  I implore you to re-consider using a test that has little or no value to many of the children forced to take it

     Harris Elementary shines brightly thanks to its renovation nearly 3 years ago. Located in Tamarack, it is a traditional neighborhood school. My visit there led me to classrooms that were different, yet the same.  Each room was identical with a carpeted area and a tiled area, yet each teacher chose a set up with desks and tables that best suited his or her students’ needs.  As the principal took me from classroom to classroom, the students remained focused on their work. Some were reading, some were doing math, some used technology, while others worked in small groups.
 
I’m not quite sure I’m “smarter than a 5th grader” as I watched them work on complex math including order of operations and other math skills that are preparing them for Algebra. I was very impressed with the young lady who neatly wrote out her steps all around her paper.  I told her my children would have erased their work despite my telling them over and over how it important it is to show their work, something my own teachers stressed again and again.
 
The students’ work was displayed throughout the building – some was writing, some was math, some included the student’s pictures. There was a display of a competition between classes to encourage students to win a “gold” or “silver” medal as they progressed to more difficult skill levels. And there were a few “teacher” works displayed – an “I’ve been mugged” picture that I noticed on several doors. The principal informed me that this was a morale booster for teachers. This was something I thought was great…being a teacher myself, I know how frustrating some days can be. I told the principal that I will never forget what it felt like to go to my mailbox and see a full-sized candy bar from the Student Council there – just because. That candy bar, though a small gesture, made a huge difference in my day.  Their “mug” morale booster is a “pay it forward” mug filled with goodies to brighten a teacher’s day. Being a teacher is difficult and sometimes feels like a thankless job. But these Harris Elementary teachers seem to have it right…they not only keep their students focused and engaged, but they support one another to make Harris a great place to be.