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(03/06/14 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana is the first state in the country to officially join an initiative launched by the National Council for State Reciprocity Agreements that will help connect Hoosier students with online education in other states.Ken Sauer, senior associate commissioner for Academic Affairs with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, said the initiative was created to remove complexities surrounding online education.In order for a higher education institution to deliver distance learning to students in other states, the institution has to receive approval from each of those states. But Sauer said each state has its own regulations for approval, which makes the process complicated. While some states have a lot of paperwork, others barely have any.Institutions must also pay fees to enroll students from another state, and Sauer said some rates would be so high institutions would avoid enrolling students from that state. Under the new initiative, an institution the size of IU would only pay $6,000 to enroll students from other states in online programs, instead of possibly hundreds of thousands.The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement launched this new initiative to create more consistency across states. The initiative will be an agreement between states in which an institution can easily enroll students from another state also involved with SARA. Jennifer Parks, director of the Midwestern district of SARA, said there are multiple phases for states to become involved with SARA. The state must set up a portal agency that applies for membership in SARA. The agency will then accept applications from institutions to become members.In order for institutions to become members, they must be nationally or regionally accredited and have an adequate federal financial responsibility score.Each state that becomes a member of SARA must implement an adequate system for students to file complaints about institutions in that state. States must also create a catastrophic response process in case an institution in their state shuts down, so affected students can be helped in completing their degrees.Parks said this new legislation is important because it acknowledges the direction that technology, society and education are heading. She said students are no longer limited to their location in gaining an education and also have the convenience to complete an online degree during their own time.According to the Sloan Consortium, 7.1 million higher education students were enrolled in at least one online course in 2013. Sauer said the new initiative can help gather more information about online education.“I think there’s a real opportunity to get better data on the number of students enrolled in distance education programs,” Sauer said.Indiana is the only official member of SARA from the Midwest, but Parks received an application from North Dakota on Wednesday. Parks said this is an integral issue for those involved with higher education to embrace.Parks said SARA hopes to have 26 states become members by the end of 2014 and 45 members by the end of 2015. “It’s good for students because it allows more opportunity for students to take online courses and programs if they want to,” Sauer said.
(03/05/14 2:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Community School Corporation will celebrate Disability Awareness Month with events planned throughout March. First organized by the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities in 1989, there is a different theme each year.This March’s theme, “Dream to Dare,” aims to challenge people to consider and support disability awareness in their communities, according to the Awareness website. There are currently six Bloomington events registered on the Awareness website, including a film festival at the IU Cinema. Janise McCollough, assistant director of special education, said each school in MCCSC organizes its own events to recognize the month. The Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility, a volunteer group that advocates for people with disabilities, will visit some schools. Clear Creek Elementary School is organizing a book share. The students will read books about Americans with disabilities, as well as study technology such as bionic arms and how it can help people with disabilities.LIFEDesigns, Inc., an Indiana group that provides people with disabilities and their families with resources, is organizing an essay contest for older students and a coloring contest for younger students in MCCSC. Director of Special Education Kathleen Hugo said the schools don’t necessarily celebrate the month, but they make the students more aware of disabilities. Hugo said there are about 11,000 total students in MCCSC, and 1,700 have identified disabilities. She said there are some students who are medically fragile who might not have been in a school building 20 years ago. Adults and children with disabilities represent more than 19 percent of the Hoosier population, according to the Awareness website. Hugo said MCCSC has strengthened its programs for students with autism because more students with autism are enrolled in the schools.“We have pushed the envelope even more,” Hugo said. Even though March is devoted to disability awareness, McCollough said MCCSC tries to teach its students about disabilities all year. Hugo said students with disabilities are just a part of MCCSC’s everyday operations. It is important for the students to understand disabilities because they may grow up to have children of their own with disabilities, she said. She said it is important for students to value all students as people with worth and not just as a disability. “It’s just part of a basic civil right,” Hugo said. More information about Disability Awareness Month and events happening in Bloomington is available at indianadisabilityawareness.org.
(03/04/14 5:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Public Schools system and the U.S. Department of Education have reached an agreement after IPS failed to give girls an equal opportunity in athletics. The USDOE’s Office for Civil Rights found IPS was in violation of Title IX of 1972, which states “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”According to an USDOE press release, IPS failed to provide athletic opportunities for girls as well as equal opportunity and access to facilities, locker rooms, equipment, supplies and scheduling of games and practice times. According to the release, there were 5,538 students enrolled in high schools for the 2010-2011 school year, with the students close to evenly divided between boys and girls. However, 65 percent of the 1,466 athletes were boys, and 35 percent girls.Victor Bush, IPS district director of athletics, said the investigation began in fall 2010 as a general inquiry into IPS. He said no complaints were filed against IPS before the investigation began.District-wide, there were questions surrounding the number of boys’ athletic games played during “prime-time,” Fridays and Saturdays, versus the number of girls’ games played during prime-time. He said there were questions surrounding the facilities at Arsenal Technical High School. At the time of the inquiry, the school was under construction and using only one gym. The school was also not able to use four of their locker rooms because of construction.There was concern about the number of times girls were practicing against boys late at night, but Bush said the girls’ basketball coach at the time at Arsenal Tech preferred to schedule practices later in the day.The agreement requires IPS to increase athletic opportunities for girls and improve facilities, equipment and primetime scheduling of games and practice times for girls.If there are unmet interests in sporting opportunities for girls, IPS might need to add more sports teams or increase sizes of existing teams. IPS must also implement a procedure for students, parents and coaches to request the addition of new sports or sports levels at high schools. Bush said there were also inquiries about whether girls’ sporting equipment was adequate at John Marshall Community High School and George Washington Community High School. Bush said the construction has now been completed at Arsenal Tech and the school is able to use two gyms. “So a lot of things have been repaired or improved over time,” he said. Bush said he thinks athletics can be like a second curriculum for students and can reinforce concepts learned in the classroom, but said athletics can also be more than that. “More importantly, sports teaches you about life,” Bush said. Bush said he usually thinks if the gear or facilities would not be good enough for his own child, they are not good enough for the students of IPS. He said since 2010, a lot of improvements have been made and IPS is working in compliance with the report to provide their students with the best athletic experience possible. “I don’t want any of our kids playing in mediocre gear or mediocre facilities,” he said. The OCR will monitor IPS to make sure they are following the guidelines of the agreement. “This resolution agreement embodies the fundamental Title IX principles that school districts must provide girls and boys with both equal opportunity to participate and equal benefits and opportunities as participants in interscholastic athletics programs,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon in the release. “Girls in schools across the country deserve to expect that their schools will support their desire to compete at a high level in a fair and competitive environment.”
(02/26/14 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Administrators and teachers from Fairview and Highland Park Elementary schools spoke at the Monroe County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday about their schools’ turnaround plans. Both Highland Park and Fairview received an F grade from the Indiana Department of Education for the 2012-13 school year and were designated priority schools.Priority schools are monitored closely by the IDOE, which includes classroom observation of teachers. If the IDOE determines that the school is not meeting the criteria of the turnaround principles through their new plan, the school might be required to change personnel, shift resources or accept the help of an outside management team to manage the school and develop a new plan. Priority schools must also submit a Student Achievement Plan. Highland has already completed its plan, and Fairview is close to finishing its plan. Highland Park Principal Maggie Dainton spoke first. Highland Park received a C for the 2011-12 school year and was named a focus-targeted school. Dainton highlighted the eight IDOE “Turnaround Principles Requirements,” which enforce schools to implement policies such as a school environment that supports the needs of children and to recruit, retain and develop effective teachers.Dainton then outlined the three main changes now occurring at Highland Park. All students in kindergarten to sixth grade are now participating in daily English/language arts and math enrichment/remediation time. Highland Park is also partnering with IU’s School Psychology Program to support students and teachers. “We look to adjust schedules, services and resources to meet the individual needs of these students in the coming school years,” Dainton said in her presentation.Fairview has now received an F from the IDOE two years in a row. Although Fairview’s ISTEP+ scores have improved during the past year in both English/language arts and math, seven of 10 students at Fairview are reading below grade level. Some are up to two years behind. Fairview Principal Tammy Miller said Fairview began working with the students at their instructional level in reading and math in the fall but said the final Fairview plan is not yet finished.“We continue to work at it,” Miller said. “It is our responsibility to fix it.”Fairview plans to reduce its student-to-teacher ratio and use small group learning as much as possible, communicate with parents to ensure they know about their child’s academic progress and connect with the community to gain more volunteers and resources for the school. Teacher Mary Wicker has been working at Fairview for more than 20 years and said the reading crisis has been going on for a long time. Teacher Robin Johnson said this turnaround plan has not been presented to them as an option but as a requirement. She said if children can’t read, they can’t do a math problem or go to the grocery store. “We’ve been a priority school now for two years,” Johnson said. Johnson said the writing team includes two parents and teachers from all areas of the school. Ann St. John, a volunteer at Fairview, said she was shocked at how much the Fairview community wants their students to succeed. “The Fairview Community is an awesome community,” she said. But, she said, she highly supports reading and thinks it is a problem that some children are reading two years behind grade level. “If that’s not a crisis, I don’t what is,” she said. Johnson said there are large reading gaps in classrooms at Fairview. She said some students in sixth grade read at a second grade level and some above a sixth grade level. She said she is excited for the new direction Fairview is heading, saying she thinks the plan will help target kids that need more attention. Fairview parent Lynette Anigbo said she believes it is important to challenge kids early on or they won’t be able to meet challenges later in life. She said perseverance is something that needs to be developed. Gloria Jacobs, a member of Fairview United Methodist Church, said the church has been trying to make connections with the school. “We are going to support Fairview Elementary in any way we can,” she said. Many in her congregation have signed up as volunteers at Fairview, herself included. “The children at Fairview are not just Fairview children,” Jacobs said. “They’re our children.”Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/24/14 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Drafts of the new Indiana Academic standards for math and English/language arts were released to the public last week for comment.Last spring, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1427, which asked the State Board of Education to conduct a review and implement the new standards by July 1, 2014. The SBOE must review current standards as well as establish college and career readiness standards.College and career ready panels have worked to revise the education standards and will look at them again once the public has had a chance to weigh in on the drafts.SBOE member Brad Oliver said he thinks the panels did their job well but said he doesn’t think the standards are complete quite yet. He said he doesn’t think some standards are fitting with their grade levels but said he does think the panels made each standard understandable and specific.“The standards seem to be clear statements on what students should know and do,” Oliver said.Standards are divided by grade level, then further by the different “strands” of the subject students must know.Some of the math strands are number sense, geometry, measurement, calculus and discrete mathematics. Some of the English/language arts strands are reading, language, writing and speaking and listening.Each strand is then divided up into a content area topic. The content area topics are specific to each grade level and what students at that age should be learning.For example, under the reading strand, a content area topic for kindergarten states the students must understand the English language moves left to right across a page. Under the same strand for fourth grade, a content area topic states the students must “apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding single words.”The public has until March 12 to complete a survey online about these new standards. Public input sessions will take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in different cities in Indiana.After the public comment period, the standards will go back to the panels as well as the Indiana Education Roundtable. Oliver said the board has also invited national experts such as James Milgram, a mathematics professor at Stanford University , to evaluate the standards. SBOE member Andrea Neal said there are many solid parts of the new standards, but there are still some things she hopes to see changed. Neal teaches language arts and U.S. history at St. Richard’s Episcopal School in Indianapolis.So far, Neal has read all the language arts standards up to eighth grade. She said she does not believe Indiana has drafted the best standards yet for Hoosier children. She said there were places in the Common Core State Standards filled with jargon and some of that language is still prevalent in the new standards.“To me, that is not understandable by a parent,” Neal said. “I find that unnecessarily confusing.”She also said she believes some of the standards micromanage teachers and some are not developmentally appropriate for grade level.One example of a speaking and listening standard for kindergarten is students must “participate in collaborative conversations with various partners about appropriately complex topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.” Neal said she thinks the college and career readiness standards are being forced on kindergartners.She said she hopes parents look at these standards because if they don’t understand them, there is a problem. Neal expressed happiness, though, that these standards have become a topic of conversation in Indiana.
(02/20/14 5:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana State Board of Education is currently in the process of reviewing the Indiana Academic Standards. Last spring, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1427, which asked the SBOE to conduct a review and implement the new standards by July 1, 2014. The SBOE must review current standards, as well as establish college and career readiness standards.SBOE member Brad Oliver said HEA 1427 was created because some Hoosiers were concerned about the Common Core State Standards and didn’t feel Indiana had reviewed them before implementation. Final adoption of the new academic standards is scheduled for April 9, 2014, when the SBOE will vote on the matter. The new standards will be reviewed multiple times by the college and career ready panels, the Indiana Education Roundtable and the State Board of Education. Each education standard will be reviewed by the panels first, which include teachers and subject experts from colleges. SBOE member Cari Whicker said a lot of care was put into choosing who would be analyzing the current standards and proposing changes. There will then be three hearings where the public can discuss the new standards. They will take place Feb. 24, 25 and 26. Whicker said there is also an online public comment forum that opens today.After the public hearings take place, the standards will go back to the panels for further revisions. Then they will be presented to the Education Roundtable and finally the SBOE for a vote. “The educational standards must meet national and international benchmarks for college and career readiness standards and be aligned with postsecondary educational expectations,” HEA 1427 states. The panels are also working on making sure the standards are clearly written and not too vague.If new standards are implemented, the ISTEP+ test will need to be replaced by a new test to see if students are learning what is consistent with the new academic standards. Oliver said he wanted to get the standards finished by April 9 so teachers have time to prepare their lessons during the summer.SBOE member Troy Albert said having academic standards are important, because without goals or aspirations, no one would ever be able to achieve anything. Albert, principal at Henryville Jr./Sr. High School, said this process has been educational for him as well.“I think education is important to every human being,” Albert said.Whicker, who is also a sixth grade teacher at Riverview Middle School, said this review of academic standards is larger in scope than in years past. Whicker said many Hoosiers were worried about whether Indiana’s standards were the best they could be, as well as whether the Common Core Standards would take away Indiana’s academic sovereignty. Whicker said so far this process has been a good collaboration between the Indiana Department of Education and the SBOE. After these standards are adopted, the IDOE will start to communicate the new standards to teachers.“I’m excited to have the best standards for Indiana kids that we can,” Whicker said.Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/19/14 1:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During a winter that dumped a record amount of snow in Indianapolis, schools across the state have been closed multiple times this school year. The Monroe County Community School Corporation missed five school days. Two of those days were waived by the State Department of Accreditation, but the other three still must be made up. Beverly Smith, director of school and community services for MCCSC, said the first day will be made up May 23. The other two makeup days will also be added on to the end of the school year. In Indiana, schools must be in session for 180 days, and any school days missed must be made up, unless waived by the state. Due to the snow days, the statewide testing window for ISTEP has changed, but MCCSC’s testing window will stay the same. Graduation dates for the corporation are also still on track, with students scheduled to graduate May 29-31. On Feb. 13, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz announced that schools would have more options to make up these school days. “As Hoosiers, we always expect harsh winter weather,” Ritz said in a press release. “However, this year’s storms have been extreme and have interrupted instruction for schools throughout the state. I have spoken with countless superintendents throughout the state, and they have all asked for more flexibility for scheduling instructional time.”Indiana schools will have the option to reschedule holidays, pre-established snow-flex days or professional development days without requesting a waiver from the IDOE. Schools also have the option to request conditional waivers from the IDOE that will allow them to add instructional time to their school days in addition to time already provided in their calendars. When the total additional time equals one school day, the school can apply for a conditional waiver of one day of instructional time from the IDOE. Students in first through sixth grade must be in school for five hours per instructional day, and students in seventh through 12th grade must be in school for six hours each day. Smith said teachers and staff diligently plan the time and information students will need to be successful academically each year, and snow days hinder this process. “We want our students to have as much time as possible in school as planned to be empowered, learn and grow,” Smith said in an email interview. Although this winter has been harsher than many in Indiana, Smith said she thinks MCCSC students, parents, faculty and staff handled the problems with grace as a community. “We know this has been a unique winter season in Monroe County, and we thank our parents, students, staff and faculty for their support and patience as we continue to move forward in hopes of warmer weather,” she said. Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/17/14 3:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Proponents of Seven Oaks Classical School spoke to members of the Bloomington community Saturday at the Monroe County Public Library about the charter school they hope to open in fall 2015.Seven Oaks would teach their students using a classical education curriculum, which emphasizes things like cultural literacy, Socratic discussion, character education and music and the arts. The school will be overseen by the Hillsdale College Barney Charter School Initiative.Lindsey Weaver, a parent who hopes to send her children to Seven Oaks, said an understanding of music, history, literature and philosophy are intrinsic parts of a classical education.Phil Kilgore, director of the Barney Initiative, said he supports classical education in the classroom.“We have deep convictions about the need for restoration of classical education,” Kilgore said.Kilgore said four charter schools are now open in the United States under the leadership of the Barney Initiative in Texas, New Mexico, Georgia and Arkansas. The Barney Initiative is currently helping the founding board of Seven Oaks get the school up and running and will help the school find a leader once the school is implemented. Kilgore said once the school is in operation, they will visit again and spend time in the classrooms.Terrence Moore, a history professor at Hillsdale, outlined the curriculum that Seven Oaks would implement. “Indiana needs a classical charter school like this one,” he said.Moore said Seven Oaks would help put more beauty in students’ lives through the instruction of art and music. Students would also be required to read and write poetry.Students would study Latin as well as French or Spanish and learn history, social studies and about the Renaissance in middle school.“These are going to be the things that feed their minds and souls,” Moore said.Moore said teachers at Seven Oaks will be ones who put learning first. He said he believes in charter schools because they give families choices.“Not to have that choice in a town like Bloomington is odd,” he said.He compared the classical education to the education his grandparents had, when he said students knew how to do math without a calculator. Moore spoke about an experience he had when a cashier was not able to give him proper change because the cashier could not do the math without a calculator.For the initial enrollment at the school, every student who wants to be enrolled would get in until all spots were filled. When a child leaves the school, new families could get their child enrolled through a lottery system.“A lot of parents are looking for this kind of choice,” Moore said.The Green School is a second charter school hoping to serve Monroe and surrounding counties. The Green School’s curriculum would be focused on environmental sustainability and social justice.As of Jan. 27, the Green School founders are still working on the charter application.The Indiana Charter School Board oversees Indiana’s charter schools and reviews applications for new charter schools. The application process for a charter school to be opened consists of six steps — a letter of intent, full application, application evaluation, interview, a public hearing and an ICSB board meeting.“The ICSB’s mission is to authorize and hold accountable a portfolio of high-performing charter schools in which students achieve high levels of growth and graduate prepared for college and careers,” according to the ICSB mission statement.Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/14/14 5:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students at Summit Elementary School are challenging each other to read as many minutes as they can and achieve a school-wide goal of reading for 170,000 minutes during a period of two weeks. As part of the Reach for the Stars Reading program, all teachers decide how many minutes they think their students can read during Feb. 3-17. First grade teacher Andrea Livingston said her students are each trying to read for 300 minutes. During the two-week challenge, students also try to collect monetary pledges from friends and family. At the end of the challenge, half of the money the students raise goes back to them to buy more books and half of it goes to the classroom teacher to order more books for the classroom library. Livingston said the students don’t have to read only for the sake of their reading goal, but if their parents read to them or the younger students play with magnetic letters, those minutes count toward their total. She said every day at Summit the students have a 90-minute literacy block where the students focus only on reading and writing.Usborne Books and More organizes the program, and the students buy their new books from the company. Susan Anderson, education representative with Usborne, said the company highly encourages a culture of reading. “They are very supportive of anything pro-literacy,” she said. She said Usborne began the Reach for the Stars program about 20 years ago to help children develop a reading habit and then reward them with more books to sustain that habit.Students count minutes they read at home and at school toward their goal. At the end of the challenge, the school library also receives a 10-percent match of the total money raised in free books from Usborne.Livingston said the school has been participating in the program for a few years. She said the school sets its school-wide reading goal based on the number of students enrolled. Incentives are also offered from Usborne to the students, such as medals for students who are the top readers in each grade level. Summit is also providing incentives for its students, such as pizza parties for theclassrooms with the most time spent reading. Anderson said many children throughout the country aren’t reading at grade level. She said children becoming good readers and enjoying reading provides them with a strong base for the rest of their lives.“It’s very rewarding to me to partner with the schools,” she said. Anderson said other schools in the Monroe County Community School Corporation participate in the program, as well as students at Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, among others. The program has helped Livingston provide many more books for students in her class. She said one year she had more than $300 to spend on books for her classroom library. “I picked everything I wanted and still had more,” she said. “It was ridiculous — a good ridiculous.”Livingston said the program has helped create a love of learning at Summit. “They’re really good books,” she said. “We want to push every kid to learn how to read.”Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/12/14 1:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Throughout the nation, pre-kindergarten education is being hailed as one of the best ways to help children succeed in life. Indiana is no exception, with some legislators working to make pre-K education more widely available. President Barack Obama mentioned the importance of pre-K education during his State of the Union Address in January. Last year, Obama said he asked Congress to help make pre-K education available to all 4-year-olds in the country.Since he made this request to Congress, Obama said 30 states have raised pre-K funding on their own.According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, 1,332,663 children were enrolled in pre-K education programs for the 2011-12 school year. In Indiana, Senate Bill 389, authored by Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, would have required all public schools, including charter schools, to offer a preschool education program or to contract with a provider to offer a preschool education program. The bill is dead for the current legislative session. Rogers said her idea is still alive, though, in House Bill 1004.Authored by Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis, the bill will create the early education scholarship pilot program.It is intended to help some low-income families afford pre-K education for their children.Rogers said when the bill comes to the Senate, she hopes to expand the bill to include children of all socioeconomic levels.She used to be a teacher and said she saw first-hand the difference between children who attended preschool and those who did not. For each dollar invested in pre-K education, $17 is returned on the investment because these children are usually not dependent on state assistance as adults, Rogers said.Rogers said only 15 percent of Indiana 4-year-olds are currently enrolled in a pre-K program, which ranks Indiana 45th in the nation. Tim Pritchett, director of school age care at the Monroe County Community School Corporation, said pre-K education has a positive ripple effect on children’s education as they continue through school.The Ready Set Grow program at MCCSC serves students ages 3 to 5. Pritchett said all MCCSC preschools teach their students literacy skills and use well-rounded curriculums.Pritchett has been working with Bloomington youth, ranging in age from young children to young adults, since 2002. “I’ve been passionate about serving youth in Bloomington of all ages for a long time,” he said. Pritchett said statistics show pre-K education helps kids in their later education and said there is a need in Bloomington for more accessible pre-K programs.State and local programs improve academic readiness for school, according to NIEER.“I would welcome more kids being in preschool,” Pritchett said. “I think the more kids we can get into pre-kindergarten, the better.”Joan Bertermann, director of Faith Lutheran Preschool, has been working in the field of early education for more than 30 years.Bertermann said there has always been a push for early childhood education, especially since more parents started working outside the home. She said pre-K education gives children a chance to learn, rather than just sit in front of a television.“The children have a learning-rich environment,” she said.Bertermann said at her preschool, there are no televisions for the children to watch and the students are always busy playing. She also noted that her preschool can help her students with their social development.Betermann said Faith Lutheran currently serves 46 children.These children will not only receive academic education, but will also learn physical and social skills.“It helps a child build a good foundation,” she said. “I want the best for the kids.”Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(02/07/14 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Parents, teachers and administrators from Fairview Elementary School are trying to improve the embattled school’s performance.Fairview received an F grade from the Indiana Department of Education for 2013. Fairview also received an F in 2012, which led the IDOE to designate Fairview a “priority school.” Despite these shortcomings, only a handful of parents attended the first focus group meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to meet with parents to gather input that will be used to inform Fairview Elementary School’s turnaround plan, according to a power point presented at the meeting.“Fairview certainly has a task before itself,” said Beverly Smith, director of School and Community Services at the Monroe County Community School Corporation. “I want to hear the parent input,” Smith said. “I really do.” During the focus group, Smith posed questions to parents, such as, “When planning for improvement, what does a successful Fairview student look like to you?” or, “What role should parents play in the school improvement efforts?”Throughout the night, the parents and teachers in attendance discussed the schools’ strengths and weaknesses. Fairview parent Mary Balle said she thinks the teachers at Fairview meet students in the middle, help them find their strengths and help them in their weak areas. Balle said she hopes her children learn critical thinking skills and engage in learning that will stay with them beyond their time at Fairview. “I want a teacher that thinks outside the box,” Balle said. Balle said she thinks the artful learning program at Fairview helps kids express their emotions and help their mind and body to connect. “I see art as incredibly powerful for all their different levels,” Balle said. “It gives them hope, I think.” Parent Jill Perkins said she wants teachers for her daughter who are good role models and can help teach her good social skills. “I see that happening here,” she said. Parent Melissa Harris addressed the fact that the standardized test scores of students at Fairview are lower than at other MCCSC schools. She said she thinks for some students, the problem exists at home, rather than at school.“Some of them don’t have a good life at home,” she said. Harris said she would also like to see more after-school activities actually take place on the Fairview campus, which might make it easier for students to participate in them. Harris said she would also like to see more parent-teacher conferences during the year. Many parents said they would like more communication between the school and parents, as well as more efforts to draw in parents that may not be as involved in their children’s education. There will be two more Fairview focus groups next week. One is from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Fairview cafeteria and the other is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Crestmont Center. Though the meetings are focused on parents, other members of the community are allowed to attend. “School improvement is a school, community effort,” Smith said.
(02/04/14 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Parents of students in the Monroe County Community School Corporation gathered at Jackson Creek Middle School to discuss their children’s technology use. Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Gaal noted that while technology such as cameras, telephones and video games have been around for many years, information can now be distributed instantly. “Now we talk about images and messages going viral,” Gaal said. Gaal was joined by other members of the Bloomington community to discuss this issue. Gaal said there are more consequences that come along with today’s technology and said children don’t have the maturity to understand these consequences. “We know some of the content out there is not appropriate for children,” Gaal said. Attendees agreed child pornography has become a prevalent issue. Susie’s Place Executive Director Emily Perry warned parents about websites such as MeetMe and Stickam, which connects users with strangers. She said child porn has even begun to pop up on Pinterest. Perry said although parents see the people their children interact with on the internet as strangers, children consider these same people their peer group. Christine McAfee, Juvenile Division supervisor with the Monroe Circuit Court Probation Department, said she has seen situations where young people will share explicit pictures of themselves, which are then shared with more people than they intended. She said depending on the age of the person in the photo, this act could be considered dissemination of child pornography. Perry said it is important to talk to children about the dangers of sexting from an early age, by at least by fourth grade. She said she has already had a conversation about sexting with her child, who is in second grade. “It’s happening at a young age,” Gaal said.Bloomington High School North Principal Jeff Henderson said it is important to teach children about responsible technology use because they don’t understand the permanence of what they put online. Henderson said the part of a human’s brain that recognizes the consequences of actions isn’t fully developed until age 25. School rules have had to change over the years because of new and developing technology, Henderson said. “We can’t ignore the fact that this technology exists,” Henderson said.He said technology is even more prevalent because children can carry this technology around with them. Henderson said BHSN students are allowed to use their phones before and after school, during passing periods, at lunch and during class if they have a teacher’s permission. He said cyberbullying has become a major issue, and said it is harder to get away from bullying because online bullying can reach a child almost anywhere. As prosecutor, Gaal said he sees more and more cases that involve the use of technology and said it can be hard for parents to keep up with their children’s technological use because the parents might not be using the latest technology. Gaal said the overall message he hopes families and children learn is that once information is posted on the internet it is impossible to control who sees it and said it is important to put limits of where and how long children are able to access this technology. Henderson said although technology has its pitfalls, there are many positive aspects to it, some which allow teachers to pinpoint which topics their students need to cover more. However, he said it is important to be cautious. “We cannot ignore the fact that there are dangers that exist with this technology,” Henderson said.
(01/31/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>St. Charles Catholic School is observing Catholic Schools Week, an annual nationwide celebration.According to the National Catholic Educational Association, Catholic Schools Week began in 1974 and always begins on the last Sunday in January. The school week culminates with teacher appreciation day today. The entire school will gather together, and each grade will perform for the rest of the students. At the end, the teachers will present their dance to “What Does the Fox Say?”“The kids love to see the teachers make fools and make fun of themselves,” Mayer said.St. Charles planned many different fun-filled days for its students such as crazy sock day on Monday and crazy hair day on Tuesday, St. Charles Principal Alec Mayer said. On Thursday, the school participated in a school-wide volleyball tournament. Each class, including all the teachers, were separated into either red or black teams, the school colors. At the end of the day, the team that gained the most points won. Students were also allowed to wear school colors and jeans on Thursday instead of their uniforms. “Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation,” representatives of the NCEA said on the organization’s website. Before the school week started, students also participated in many different parts of the St. Charles masses during the weekend and performed jobs such as ushering. Catholic Schools Week will continue beyond the school week with a public open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. In art class, the students created constellations that will cover the entire art room for the open house. Mayer said this is an annual art project that has a different theme each year. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful art program our teacher does,” he said. Mayer said Catholic Schools Week helps St. Charles open itself up to the community. He also mentioned that registration for the school is now open to the public. “It’s just an opportunity for us to get the word out to people that they have options,” he said. “It’s something fun and celebrates who we are.”Since there is no Catholic high school in the Bloomington area, Mayer said the majority of the students attend Bloomington High School North or South.Mayer said St. Charles provides its students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in high school and said he hopes the students will take their experiences at Catholic school with them for the rest of their lives. “I would hope that we’ve planted a seed to teach them to be good Christian members of society,” Mayer said.
(01/30/14 6:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>St. Charles Catholic School is observing Catholic Schools Week, an annual nationwide celebration.According to the National Catholic Educational Association, Catholic Schools Week began in 1974 and always begins on the last Sunday in January. The school week culminates with teacher appreciation day on Friday. The entire school will gather together, and each grade will perform for the rest of the students. At the end, the teachers will present their dance to “What Does the Fox Say?”“The kids love to see the teachers make fools and make fun of themselves,” Mayer said.St. Charles has planned many different fun-filled days for its students such as crazy sock day on Monday and crazy hair day on Tuesday, St. Charles Principal Alec Mayer said. Elementary school students will also had the opportunity to wear their pajamas Wednesday and read all day long. The middle school students participated in a spelling bee.On Thursday, the school planned to participate in a school-wide volleyball tournament. Each grade from kindergarten through eighth grade has two classes. Each class, including all the teachers, would be separated into either red or black teams, the school colors. At the end of the day, the team that gained the most points would win. The students were also allowed to wear their school colors and jeans on Thursday instead of their uniforms. “Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation,” representatives of the NCEA said on the organization’s website. Before the school week started, students also participated in many different parts of the St. Charles masses during the weekend and performed jobs such as ushering. Catholic Schools Week will continue beyond the school week with a public open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. In art class, the students have created constellations that will cover the entire art room for the open house. Mayer said this is an annual art project that has a different theme each year. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful art program our teacher does,” he said. Mayer said Catholic Schools Week helps St. Charles open itself up to the community. He also mentioned that registration for the school is now open to the public. “It’s just an opportunity for us to get the word out to people that they have options,” he said. “It’s something fun and celebrates who we are.”For many of the eighth-grade students at St. Charles, this will be their last Catholic Schools Week. Since there is no Catholic high school in the Bloomington area, Mayer said the majority of the students attend Bloomington High School North or South.Mayer said St. Charles provides its students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in high school and said he hopes the students will take their experiences at Catholic school with them for the rest of their lives. “I would hope that we’ve planted a seed to teach them to be good Christian members of society,” Mayer said.
(01/28/14 5:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The spring grant cycle for the Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools is now open. Faculty in the Monroe County Community School Corporation can apply for grants to supplement their students’ education. Cyrilla Helm, executive director of the Foundation, said the organization has been giving out grants since 1976. This year, the Foundation will give away $50,000 in grants. Faculty from preschool to the high school level can apply for the grants. In past years, schools have requested funding for science lab equipment and gym equipment such as soccer balls and nets. Helm said they receive many requests for classrooms teaching students with disabilities, including exercise balls for students to sit on while doing work. The Foundation raises its money through private funding, such as donations and fundraisers. Helm said the Foundation aims to fill a funding need for schools. Helm said many of the grants are based on increasing literacy opportunities for students. In the past, the Foundation has raised money for new books and funded trips to live productions of the stories students are reading in class. Some schools need equipment such as CPR dummies, Helm said, or equipment to play games like sharbade, a hockey game played on scooters in which kids lie on their stomachs and use their upper body to move around. “They have a lot of fun with that,” she said. Helm said these grants are important because education is a tool that will stay with students the rest of their lives and helps build self-esteem and confidence. “Education is something you can never take away from a kid,” she said. Applications for multi-classroom, school and system grants, ranging from $1,000-$5,000, will be accepted until 5 p.m. Feb. 3.Applications for classroom and small project grants ranging from $250-$1,000 will be accepted until all funds are depleted. Those interested can apply at mccsfoundation.org.
(01/27/14 3:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The National Institute on Drug Abuse organized National Drug Facts Week, starting today through Sunday. Brian Marquis, public liaison officer with NIDA, said the week is organized to teach teens accurate information about the dangers of drugs. The NDFW website recommends using social media to spread awareness and organizing a NDFW event to get communities involved with the week. Marquis said more than 1,000 events are planned throughout the country in honor of the week. This is the fourth year of NDFW.Marquis said each year the number of events has doubled, with about 500 events planned last year.He said it is important to help teens understand what they are putting into their bodies because an adult’s brain isn’t fully mature until about age 25.NIDA created a booklet titled “Drugs Facts: Shatter the Myths” to address teens’ most frequently asked questions about drugs and drug abuse. A web chat Tuesday will provide a forum for teens to have their questions about drugs answered by scientists. The website features interactive resources for teens to learn about the effects of drugs on the body.It also has a section for teachers with sample questions their students might be curious about. Marquis said many myths are further reinforced by teens’ peers and the Internet. The perception of drugs is becoming a problem, Marquis said. He said because more states are legalizing marijuana, teens begin to think that because it’s legal, it’s OK to use. “As the perception of risk goes down, usage goes up,” he said. He said he hopes students and teachers will use the resources on their website as supplemental information. “It’s turned into a viral campaign,” he said. “We can’t be happier with the amount of support.”The U.S. Department of Education encourages communities to get involved.“We are pleased our federal colleagues at NIDA have created such an array of resources for students and schools, and that they provide this annual opportunity for students to chat one-on-one with NIDA researchers and to better educate themselves on how drugs can impact their lives,” according to a press release. Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(01/21/14 5:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Binford Elementary School Principal Lucy Fischman estimates her school collected more than 1,000 pounds of food in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On Friday, each classroom brought in different food items, such as macaroni and cheese and peanut butter. The children also helped transport the boxes of food. This is the first year Binford has participated in the food drive. Fischman said the event was based on King’s quote, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Melinda Hamilton, the school librarian, said the staff wanted to organize a school-wide project to involve all students. The donated items will go to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County’s Backpack Buddies program, where a child receives a backpack full of food when they leave school each Friday.The program currently serves about 250 students at seven schools. Fischman said most students were able to participate in the food drive. “The vast majority of kids brought something in, but everyone felt like they were a part of it,” Fischman said. The project helped students learn about King’s life of service and what it means to pay it forward, Fischman said.After the students collected their items, each class used them to spell out a letter of the phrase “Binford Pays It Forward.”Fischman said this is one of many services opportunities Binford’s students participate in, such as sending care packages overseas to soldiers and visiting Redbud Hills Independent Senior Living Community. “It’s really a service-oriented student body,” Fischman said. She said the school will always organize something in honor of MLK Day. “It’s a day on, not a day off,” Fischman said. “They were happy to donate it, and it did make them feel good about themselves.” Students also received a paper peace dove, on which they wrote something for which they were grateful. The doves will be displayed in student classrooms. “I’m really proud of the kids, and I thank their parents for letting them participate,” Fischman said.Hamilton said she believes the fact that the project involved children helping other children struck a chord with the Binford students. Lisa Zorn, the music teacher at Binford, said the staff wanted students to recognize the affect King had on America. The students learned the song “We Shall Overcome.” “We wanted them to appreciate the Monday off,” she said. The students watched videos about the civil rights movement and brainstormed ways they can help people in their community. They discussed asking a child who may be left out at recess to come play with them.“This community of Binford is pretty amazing,” Zorn said. “It was a great week. I hope we continue.”Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(01/17/14 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After falling from a grade of B from the Indiana Department of Education to an F in 2012, Templeton Elementary School was able to increase its grade to an A for 2013. Indiana A-F grades for individual schools were released at the beginning of December by the DOE. Corporation Accountability grades were also released Wednesday, with the Monroe County School Corporation receiving an A. Some schools did not fare as well as Templeton. Two MCCSC schools received Fs. Templeton was the only school that achieved a grade increase of that margin. Templeton Principal Donald Carver said the school didn’t really change any programming that might account for their sharp grade increase. He said the staff and students continued to move forward. He said one of the most important components to achieving success is to have a common curriculum across grade levels and a strong emphasis on applied skills, such as problem solving. Carver said MCCSC’s A grade shows the commitment throughout the corporation to higher learning. “When you score an A as a corporation, it really shows it’s not just one school,” he said. Carver emphasized no school can ever have the perfect formula for achieving excellent performance. He said if any school loses focus, the performance of the school may falter.“There’s no program that’s going to guarantee any school an A,” he said. “There’s not any one right program.”
(01/15/14 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tears started flowing at Fairview Elementary School as parents discussed their children’s reading level and their future. After it was learned 70 percent of Fairview’s students were not reading at grade level, the school administration decided to take steps to help move the school forward. Fairview Principal Tammy Miller said some students are up to two years behind. Miller developed a plan to put students into small groups based on reading level.The new system was implemented Monday. Children returned to class with their original teachers on Tuesday in response to parents who did not agree with the new system. Miller said many students enjoyed the new system, which increased the time students focused on reading. She said she hoped this plan would help children who have fallen behind, but she failed to adequately communicate changes with parents. “I made a mistake and I went too fast,” Miller said. “We’re backing up, slowing it down.” Superintendent Judy DeMuth, Miller, administrators and about 20 parents — some with their children in tow — met in the Fairview library Tuesday night to discuss the future of the school. Miller said she was shocked that many parents didn’t know how far behind some students’ reading levels are. Fairview received a grade of “F” by the Indiana Department of Education for the second year in a row. It received C’s in 2010 and 2011. Miller came up with the plan after consulting both the Monroe County Community School Corporation and Fairview literacy coaches. She said this new program will still give children who are reading above grade level the chance to be challenged.Many parents at the meeting said they agreed with the new changes because they saw students react positively to their experience at school Monday. Daviann Hernandez started crying when talking about her children. Hernandez said if students can’t read, then they also can’t excel in any other subjects. DeMuth said the meeting exemplified how much parents, teachers and administrators love the Fairview community and its students. Pastor Andre Love has a 5- and 7-year-old at Fairview. Love spent much of the day Monday at Fairview and said the children were more obedient that day than usual. He also said it is important for parents to be involved in their children’s education and make their voices heard. “If we don’t speak up for our child, somebody else will,” he said. Follow reporter Sydney Murray on Twitter @sydlm13.
(12/13/13 5:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Police Department is investigating a case of child molestation involving an 11-year old girl and a 30-year old man. BPD received the case from the Department of Child Services, which states the man, who is a family member, had sexual intercourse multiple times with the 11-year old girl, BPD Sgt. Cody Forston said. Forston said the sexual intercourse between the two was an ongoing occurrence at the girl's residence. The man, a Bloomington resident, admitted to having intercourse with the victim and was taken to the Monroe County Jail and charged with child molestation, a class A felony. An interview has been conducted with the girl at Susie's Place, a children's advocacy center, and the case is still active. -Sydney Murray
