K2/Spice is made Illegal in Michigan
Some good news out of Lansing! Last week Governor Snyder signed a law banning the purchase, sale, or use of synthetic drugs. Click here to view a fact sheet about synthetic drugs.
The Last Day of School
The last day of school each year is always an interesting day. Graduation clearly marks a new beginning for our 12th grade students. For the rest of us, the last day of school each year is a time to reflect and consider new beginnings. As our students leave for the summer they know they will return to a new teacher, new classmates, and in many cases a new building. This is an opportunity to continue to grow as learners and as young citizens.
For staff the last day is a chance to reflect on the year. As the 2011-2012 school year comes to a close, I urge the staff to take the opportunity to reflect on a job well done. This was a challenging year, marked by the untimely passing of two staff members, Sheila Truchan and Mike Price. As we reflect on the year and the contributions of Mrs. Truchan and Mr. Price, I am reminded of the quote by Robert Louis Stevenson,
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant”.
Saline High School – Class of 2012
On Wednesday, May 16, the members of the Class of 2012 completed a brief survey about what is next for them following their graduation from Saline High School.
Michigan Colleges (340) 73%
Out of State Colleges (66) 14%
Michigan Public Colleges (306) 66%
Michigan Private Colleges (34) 7%
All Four Year Colleges (304) 66%
All Two Year Colleges (101) 22%
Military (8) 2%
Undecided or working full time (8) 2%
Exchange Students returning (2) <1%
to home country
Young Adult Program (3) <1%
Interesting Numbers:
Michigan Private Schools Numbers
Adrian College 1
Albion College 1
Calvin College 1
Concordia University 2
Hillsdale College 4
Hope College 9
Kalamazoo College 2
Kettering University 1
Lawrence Technological University 1
Marygrove College 1
Seina Heights University 8
University of Detroit Mercy 1
Michigan Public Schools Numbers
Central Michigan University 15
Eastern Michigan University 36
Ferris State University 5
Grand Valley State University 22
Kendall College of Art and Design 1
Lake Superior State University 1
Michigan State University 44
Michigan Technological University 1
Northern Michigan University 3
Oakland University 2
University of Michigan 60
University of Michigan Dearborn 3
Wayne State University 1
Western Michigan University 13
Michigan Community Colleges Numbers
Lansing Community College 1
Mid-Michigan Community College 1
Oakland Community College 1
Schoolcraft College 2
Southwestern Michigan College 2
Washtenaw Community College 91
Public Out of State College Numbers
Arizona State University 1
Bowling Green State University 2
Cape Cod Community College 1
Florida Gulf Coast University 1
Indiana University 3
Iowa State University 1
Miami University (Ohio) 1
Ohio State University 3
Owens Community College 1
Portland Community College 1
The Citadel 1
University of California – Riverside 1
University of Dayton 1
University of Kentucky 2
University of Missouri – Columbia 1
University of Texas – Austin 1
Virginia Military Institute 1
Washington University in St. Louis 1
University of Toledo 5
Private Out of State Colleges Numbers
American University 1
Baldwin-Wallace College 1
Brigham Young University 6
Carnegie Mellon University 1
Carthage College 1
Case Western Reserve University 1
Chaminade University of Honolulu 1
Colgate University 1
Concordia University – Wisconsin 1
Connecticut College 1
DePaul University 2
Grace College and Theological Seminary 1
Grove City College 1
Harvard College 1
Heidelberg University 1
Indiana Wesleyan University 1
Lipscomb University 1
Middlebury College 1
Notre Dame College 1
Trine University 2
University of Evansville 1
University of Findlay 1
University of Northwestern Ohio 2
University of Tampa 1
Vanderbilt University 1
Vassar College 1
Yale University 2
Other interesting facts about the Class of 2012:
14 National Merit Semi-Finalists
13 National Merit Finalists
10 National Merit Commended Scholars
17 Students having a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 4.0 or higher
72 Students having a cumulative weighted grade point average of 4.0 or higher
124 Students having a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 3.667 or higher
158 Students having a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.667 or higher
Superintendent to Substitute
As part of a staff fundraiser raffle to support the “Kids Against Hunger” event I agreed to “do the winner’s job” for a day. The raffle winner was 4th grade teacher, Mary Jane Tramontin, and on Friday, I stepped in as a substitute teacher.
It was an eventful day, starting strong with the good daily oral language activity. Snack time went well, except for the mess (I bribed them by bringing popcorn – big mistake). The math lesson was a struggle as I learned quickly that simply repeating my explanation of adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers was not going to work. I also learned that not breaking up a 50-minute lesson at the 4th grade level is a recipe for distraction. My transitions were not smooth, however the students did a great job of helping me with rules and expectations.
I especially enjoyed the “book buddies” activity when we walked to Woodland Meadows to read with a kindergarten Class. It was great to see the excitement of both the 4th graders as well as the kindergarteners.
The experience provided me a new perspective, particularly when we went into lockdown across the district. Managing twenty seven students was very different than dealing with media calls and district-wide communication – but equally challenging. There were many benefits from the experience, but the one thing I know is that I should do this at least once a year to be reminded of the challenges in the classroom.
Senior Capstone Experience
This week I had the opportunity to watch some of the student presentations for the Senior Capstone Experience. It was a great reminder of the power of reflection. The room was filled with seniors in their last days at Saline High School. For many, they had been in the District for 13 years. For others, this was their first year in Saline. However, they all shared the understanding that their lives are about to change. There was a true sense that they were not at a last stop destination on their educational journey; rather the sense was that they were at a new starting point.
One of the core components of the class was a service-learning project. The presentations were a chance to talk about their service learning projects and how they connected with adults and groups in the community. How they developed skills in communication and problem solving. How they gained confidence and became better informed about the world they live in.
We often talk about student achievement data like Graduation Rates, ACT Scores, etc., but this week reminded me that it’s about much more than that. It’s truly about our mission, which is to create life-long learners. Watching our seniors articulate and reflect on their own learning is a skill that will carry them far as they seize the opportunities in front of them. I didn’t get to see them all, but I can tell from the ones I did – they are ready!
Be Kind, but be Candid
As the Superintendent, one of my biggest responsibilities is communication. This means communicating to students, staff and the community, as well as making sure all staff are also communicating important information. This responsibility grows even more important when we are faced with major changes. As we develop the budget for next year, in the face of great uncertainty about revenues and expenses, we need to communicate effectively.
The issues are complex – pension reform, open contracts, student enrollment, and staffing levels all come into the equation. Communicating information that many will see as bad news is never easy. However, the ramifications of not communicating about the issue or waiting to communicate when there is little time to react is a recipe for fear and distrust. The situations reminds me of the saying “Be Kind, but be Candid.” Sharing the news in the right way is important, but doing it in a clear manner is equally important. Hiding difficult realities is never a good decision.
Dirty Work vs. Important Work
One of the issues that I often think about is how important a leader’s actions are in expressing their values and to a larger extent the values of an organization. One of my core values is to never ask someone to do a task that I would not be willing to do myself. I have expressed this philosophy to others, and for the most part – the Administration at Saline Area Schools share this philosophy.
Lately, I have been wondering how to balance the “dirty work” that goes along with any job with the “important work” that needs to take place in order for the organization to improve. As with most things in life, this balance is essential for success. Too much of one and the organization can quickly get out of balance. Honoring your values and walking the walk is critical. However, finding and keeping the time to build and foster systemic improvements is equally important.
College Graduation – Is it a K-12 issue?
We know a few things about our students and college. One fact is that students from Saline High School are going to college (two and four year) at a very high rate. Within two years of graduating from Saline, 91% of our students are enrolled in a degree program at a two or four year college. This greatly exceeds the national average. It is the highest in the region, and this is a region that exceeds the state and national averages overall.
The other thing we know is that the economic difference between a student who earns a high school diploma and has some college credits and a student with just a high school diploma is not significant. However, the economic impact of a college degree makes a significant difference. Clearly, the key is not just “going” to college, the key is “graduating” from college.
Based upon the recent data for the National Student Clearinghouse, an organization that tracks this information, 63% of the Saline High School Class of 2005 graduated from college by 2011. Compared to national averages and peer districts this is a strong number. However, there is room for growth – with 91% enrolled in two years after high school and 63% with diplomas – we have 30% that did not complete college in that window.
Ultimately, this data raises more questions than it answers. While we celebrate the success of our students, we know there is an opportunity to learn from this data. What are the leading indicators in High School that predict college completion? We need to determine the experiences that occur while they are enrolled in Saline Area Schools that will help them finish their college education.
Put Student Learning First
This is an interesting time of year for school districts. We are celebrating the successes of the year, yet we already have an eye on next year. For students this means college or jobs, for others it means entering a new grade and possibly a new building. For staff it means a focus on what changes might occur for the coming year and planning for any curriculum adjustments.
For me, it means thinking about the budget. It is no secret that the last several years have been financially challenging. It is easy for me to get caught up in the numbers and lose sight of the “why” behind the decisions that need to be made regarding the budget. In talking to some colleagues recently, I was reminded that this time of year it is important to put student learning first. This is important both as we celebrate the learning that has occurred this year and as we consider the various options for the coming year.
Hire Hard, Manage Easy…
Over the past several months we have been in the process of replacing Saline High School Principal Ben Williams who moved to northern Michigan to become the Superintendent of Central Lake Public Schools. Since then Executive Director of Human Resources Curt Ellis has been working on soliciting feedback, developing a candidate profile, posting and advertising the position, screening paperwork, interviewing initial candidates, and interviewing finalist candidates last night. It has been an extensive process.
I am reminded of the expression “hire hard, manage easy” which means that the time, effort and energy devoted to screening job candidates pays big dividends down the road. The position of Saline High School Principal is a key leadership role in our community. I am excited about the opportunity to finalize the position and begin to move forward with a new principal.
Thank you to all of you – community members, staff, students, and parents – who invested time and energy in providing feedback throughout the process.
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