"Trends and Changes"

"Trends and Changes" came to mind as I sat down to write this blog! The new school year is off and running and it is hard to believe that October is upon us. Our staff has worked hard to implement our improvement efforts and all indications are that student achievement results are trending in a positive direction! The class of 2011 posted the highest ACT composite score in the last 5 years. We are also starting to analyze how our students are performing in college through the recently released High School to College Success Report . All indications are that any changes to the assessment system will include the use of the ACT exam and the college readiness benchmarks. Please read the MDH article that highlights our results as reported to the Board of Education at the September meeting.

I have written about change in the past and change is certainly something we all deal with differently. This year early indications are that the students and staff are adjusting to the switch from a Block 4 to a more traditional 7 period day schedule. We are working through some growing pains as expected but the instructional energy I have experienced in my classroom visits is encouraging. Senate bill 7 and Senate bill 315 will change the way teachers earn tenure, are evaluated, and the manner in which districts implement reduction-in-force procedures. It will take a team effort to implement these worthwhile reforms. Student achievement will become a mandatory part of staff evaluation by 2016 and will become more important in the Principal evaluation process in 2012. More information comes out almost everyday on the implementation of the most significant education changes since the 1985 learning objectives legislation that was the start of standards based curriculum.

Time will tell if the recent changes create positive trends in education!!

Year in Review

I am beginning to understand the wisdom of my colleagues who always said, “Just wait until you are older – the years really fly by then.” As a student and a teacher my experience in school was dominated by bells and calendars. I recall my mom picking me up from school every day and how she always had an Ohlendorf bakery cookie and a warm smile waiting. I remember the excitement at the end of one school year and the anticipation at the start of the next.

As my 18^th year as a school administrator comes to a close, I understand fully that my educational experience is now “year-round,” but the excitement and anticipation each year brings remains the same. I write this year in review article with a great sense of pride in our accomplishments and optimism as we face the challenges that lie ahead.

Discussions at the June 2010 Board of Education meeting propelled the district into a major structural change and fostered valuable discussions about school improvement, student achievement, and instructional improvement. The “Transition to Change” committee that was comprised of parents, students, educators, and community members recommended a seven period day to replace the fifteen year- old Block-4 schedule. Many staff members have devoted a great deal of time and energy to make the transition go as smooth as possible. The structure of our day has changed and our commitment to improved student achievement remains constant.

At the district level, we continued to monitor the state financial situation, budget reductions, and late or missing reimbursement payments. A declining tax base, uncertain state support, and legislative changes will all present financial challenges for many school districts. Illinois is on the verge of implementing major education reform legislation that should prove beneficial for the students at MCHS.

From a building perspective, the overall attitude of the student body is often defined by the attitude of the Senior class. This year, the MCHS Senior class did an outstanding job setting a positive tone for the year and demonstrated true MCHS spirit. Students excelled in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities as well.

The athletic programs in most high schools garner a great deal of public attention and Morris Community High School has a long standing tradition of success. The school is appreciative of the support the parents and community provide annually. Many of our 990 students participate in a variety of activities. MCHS had 395 fall, 234 winter, and 276 spring athletes. 189 students participated in two sports while 73 were three sport athletes. 37 Redskins were named to all-conference teams during the past school year.

The fall season featured the 10^th consecutive playoff appearance in varsity football, a regional championship in volleyball and the boys and girls cross-country team advancing to sectional competition for the first time in school history.

Individually, Heath Hougas was the first individual to run at the state meet while Michelle Lutz advanced to the state tennis meet for the second year in a row. Olivia Kief represented MCHS in the girls golf regional and was named our first ever all-conference female golfer. Alyssa Applebee set a new school record in diving and qualified for the state tournament.

The winter season was successful as well, highlighted by a second straight regional title in boy’s varsity basketball. The Redskins recorded 21 victories for the most wins since the 1992-1993 season. The cheerleaders qualified for state and the Pom Pon squad brought home yet another state title.

Individually, Kjeld Torkelson and Layney Miller each scored their 1000^th career point while leading their teams in scoring. Jared Kowalewski qualified for the class 2A state wrestling meet to complete an outstanding season.

This spring, the varsity baseball team finished as conference champions while Layney Miller was named softball conference MVP. Haleigh Knapp placed 8^th overall in the 2A state high jump competition.

Kjeld Torkelson was named to the All-State football team while Layney Miller was an all-state selection in basketball. Austin Feeney, Jimmy Pelnarsh, and Ethan Chouinard were named to the Academic All-State team as well. The athletic participation and accomplishments of our students were an important part of this successful school year.

In March, I highlighted the various accomplishments of our co-curricular programs. The efforts by our students and staff in the music, art, speech, math, scholastic bowl, FCCLA, clubs and other various community efforts displayed the tremendous amount of talent at MCHS. MCHS honored 216 high honor students at the 28^th Annual Honors Night program. Earlier that day various MCHS seniors were recognized as winners of local and area scholarship programs. According to senior exit survey information, the class of 2011 garnered more than $1,000,000 in scholarship money overall.

We continue to work on curriculum development and alignment with college and career readiness standards. The current senior class out performed the state average on the Prairie State Achievement Exam but we have a long way to go in the area of consistent student achievement. Teachers and staff were trained in using achievement data to identify areas needing improvement. The introduction of the common core standards will occupy a great deal of staff development time and resources over the next several years. The Rising Star leadership team had a successful first year and will continue to serve as a catalyst for school improvement.

This July the Board of Education will participate in an Illinois Association of School Boards training program called “Starting Right.” This workshop will be instrumental in helping the newly elected officers and board members work effectively as a team for the betterment of the entire school community.

On Friday, May 27 we said goodbye to five retiring teachers. These individuals dedicated over 136 years of service to education. Sue Bivens, Paul Jung, Dave Locke, Kathie Stewart and Phil Truty will be missed.

How did this year go? By most standards I would say very well. Major student discipline issues were non-existent, we prepared students for whatever challenges they face next, and pushed them to reach their full potential.

Assistant Principal Jeff Johnson shared with me a thank you card he received from a student. It basically said, “Thanks for caring, thanks for asking me how I am doing and making me feel like I am an important part of the school.” A recent senior graduate made a point to come back and leave a wonderfully written thank your note to our staff at the office counter. The note referenced the “family” atmosphere and the caring approach that made her high school experience positive. Friday morning I had a visit from a parent- not a complaining parent- but a parent who wanted me to know how much he appreciated everything the teachers and staff did for his recent graduate.

As I visited his classroom and said goodbye to retiree Dave Locke, he said, “The time just went by way too fast, I can’t believe it’s over.” My mom picking me up from school, the Ohlendorf Bakery cookie, the excitement of another school year gone by, and the anticipation of the next school year all happen too fast. Success is measured by more than two days of testing in April – it’s measured by relationships, opportunities, and caring. “Yeah – we had a great year!”

Technology

American educator, psychologist, and philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952) said, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” The fast paced, ever-changing world of technology has impacted education in ways that are often difficult to comprehend. This article will highlight various types of technology and educational applications used at Morris Community High School. Our district plan guides our efforts at helping students prepare for their future through the use of technology that expands educational opportunities.

I graduated from Dwight Township High School in 1980 and feel fortunate to have been taught by some of the best teachers I have ever known. Aside from a team taught history class, my experiences in the high school classroom were very traditional; chalkboards, overhead projectors, reel to reel film projectors, mimeograph copies that produced “toxic” vapors, etc. My only “computer” class was a basic programming class where we spent four weeks producing punch cards that, once sorted, produced a single sentence. Today’s students live in a world of instant communication, information, social networks, and immediate feedback.
Classrooms of 2011 in some ways resemble the classrooms of 1978; rows of desks, a teacher’s desk, clock, intercom speaker, and an American flag. A closer look, however, reveals how technology has changed the way teachers teach and students learn. Dry erase marker boards, LCD projectors, smart boards, and laptop computers are now vital tools in the educational process. Teachers input grades, attendance, and classroom notes into our PowerSchool data management system that allows parents and student’s real time online access to grades and other important information. Craig Ortiz, Cindy Shannon, Brenda Edwards and Samantha Noto use Promethean active boards to teach math in an interactive fashion. Portable clickers allow students to answer questions electronically. Teachers instantly gather student feedback to check for understanding and re-teach concepts when necessary.
Dave Auwerda uses Google Docs that allow students to work collaboratively on projects. He can create online quizzes, share documents, and access students work online. Mr. Auwerda also uses a social networking type educational site called Edmodo. This site provides a forum for classroom discussions and a place to provide content material for students absent from class. Science teacher Rob Wallon is among a growing number of teachers using a classroom set of the IPod touch. The IPod technology allows instant Internet access, curriculum applications, and excellent review materials. The eClicker application allows the teacher to ask questions and gather instant feedback. Vocabulary apps allow students to study and learn at their own pace. Our staff is working hard at learning new and innovative ways to use technology to deliver instruction.
Tech director J.D. Morrison has been successful at building on the technology foundations established by retired Associate Principal Tom Talarico. We are working hard to improve our four computer labs and establish wireless Internet access district wide. We have also purchased three mobile computers labs and transitioned to a new student data management system. We continue to find ways to upgrade our Internet speed, capacity, and reliability in the most cost effective manner possible.
Modifications to our website by retired teacher Joe Thomas, and staff members Gail Janz and Corri Trotter provide the community with an instant link to the “happenings” at MCHS. This year we implemented an instant alert system that notifies students and parents of important announcements via phone calls and eventually text messages. These upgrades are designed to provide accurate information in a timely manner. The main objective of Morris Community High School is to prepare students for whatever challenges and opportunities they encounter next. The jobs and careers some of our students will pursue don’t even exist. All schools must do a better job at becoming more agile and responsive as technology changes and impacts the way we learn, interact, work and live.
I have enjoyed watching my daughter, Rachel, complete her JJC English 102 research paper and find it amazing at how different the process is from “back in the day”. Gone are the days of the carefully numbered, sorted, and categorized note cards sprawled out on the kitchen table. The trip to Kaisers five and dime store to get that perfect plastic folder to place the paper in for turn in day are gone. Instead, her experience is that of reading online research, occasional chats with the instructor and an email of the finished product before midnight.
The “tomorrow” John Dewey spoke of is upon us and it is our job to prepare students the best we can “today”. For more information on Morris Community High School check us out at www.morrishs.org. Contact J.D. Morrison at jmorrison@morrishs.org for more information on our technology plan and initiatives.

"MCHS Accomplishments"

The third in our series of newspaper articles was an absolute joy to write!! The focus was on the multitude of student and staff achievements over the course of the school year. I don't take enough time to reflect on the many good things going on at MCHS and after compiling the information, it was difficult to fit everything into one article!! That is a good problem to have! We hear so many negatives about school funding shortfalls, NCLB requirements, and issues with student and adult failings- that it was refreshing to write about what can happen when "opportunity meets preparation" and "success is tangible." The Carpenter's (brother and sister singing duo from the 70's) said it best; "We've Only Just Begun"!!

As our mission statement indicates, “Morris Community High School works to provide each student the opportunity to reach their full potential academically, socially, and personally.” The focus of this article will be to highlight some of the outstanding student and faculty achievements in the three mission statement areas.

This year, nearly four out of every five Illinois high schools will be labeled as “failing” as the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) target scores ramp up to 85% of students meeting or exceeding standards on the PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Exam). While accountability is a must, this column will feature some of the accomplishments achieved by our students and staff that go far beyond the results of two days of standardized testing. MCHS has a great deal to be proud of.

This year, 27 Morris Community High School seniors were recognized as Illinois State Scholars and the local chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 28 new members.

MCHS has a variety of academic teams that compete in various events during the year. The math team won the Regional and had seven first place winners. The team will compete at the State level in April.

The Speech team placed third in this year’s IHSA Regional, advancing eight individuals and one team event on to the Sectional. Amber Hunnewell advanced to the State meet and took 16^th place overall.

The Art department recently hosted the Conference Art show and took third overall. Two individual art students placed first and third at the University of St. Francis High School Art show as well.

The Choir and Band participate in IHSA activities and perform well year after year. Last weekend, senior Charlotte Ulrich led a talented cast in the MCHS production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” The opportunities for students to excel in academic and co-curricular activities are very important in the overall mission of the district.

The social development of our students is an important component of their overall educational program. Students perform community service, participate in clubs and activities, and take on projects that not only benefit them personally, but others as well.

This spring, MCHS and GAVC are partnering with the Grundy County Housing Authority in the development of an intergenerational project designed to support the Saratoga Towers “Connected Living” initiative. Students will provide technical support as well as assist residents in developing “life projects” that will capture their personal story that can be shared with family and friends.

Students and faculty raised over $6400 for various charity groups through a variety of activities such as the Empty Bowls soup event, Faculty verses the Fuzz charity game, coaches verses cancer night, and prom style show just to name a few. These activities help raise social awareness and highlight the responsibilities we all have to the community.

The TROUPE organization will donate their proceeds from an upcoming talent show to Relay for Life of Grundy County and the Drama club will be holding a Drama Camp workshop for first through eighth graders. All of the MCHS student organizations do a great job of teaching students the importance of “giving back.”

Personal development occurs in many ways and our staff is working hard at improving our ability to meet the needs of all students. Individually, students and staff have been recognized for a variety of achievements. Kyle Jorstad earned National Merit Finalist status for his performance on the PSAT and SAT exams, ranking him among the nations elite students. Jorie Struck was elected to serve as Governor at the annual Girls State Conference held on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. Jorie is the first Morris High School student to be elected to this position. John Scholtes earned the conference MVP award and All-Sectional team for his outstanding performance on this years scholastic bowl team. These are just a few of the individual accomplishments that highlight the successes that sometimes may go unnoticed.

Choral director Mr. Paul Jung won the prestigious Distinguished Service Award presented by the Illinois Music Educators Association and science teacher Mr. Rob Wallon has been accepted into the National Science Teacher’s Association and its fellowship professional development program. Mr. Wallon will be able to bring innovative instructional strategies into the classroom from that unique program.

Our cooperative education program allows students to explore potential careers by their participation in job shadowing and internship experiences. Mrs. Barb Rath directs 14 students at 11 various job sites. Students are placed with the State’s Attorney’s office, Sheriff’s Department, Morris Police Department, Mack and Associates, Morris Hospital, Saratoga Elementary School, District 54, ICS, and MCHS. The community has been very helpful in placing students and these real world experiences have been valuable for our young adults.

Preparing for and writing this article has served a reminder of all of the “great” things that happen every day at MCHS. Morris Community High School has a rich tradition for producing successful, productive citizens. With our mission in mind, we strive for improvement in order to help students exceed the expectations they set for themselves as they prepare for the future.

"Finance 101"

Finance is the topic covered in this month's article- I tried to provide some basic school finance information and also provide the reader with a sense of where we are as a district. We will face some challenges ahead like many district's across the country, but with continual planning, communication, and the formation of partnerships, we will be able to "weather the storm".

Morris Community High School, like many school systems across the country, continues to experience challenging financial times during very uncertain economic conditions. The Board of Education is committed to providing the best level of service given our available resources. The instability of state funding, declining local tax revenues, and increasing number of unfunded state and federal mandates have created “the perfect storm” in the world of school finance. The intent of this article is to provide a school finance “primer,” present our current financial situation, and discuss future projections moving forward.

There are nine separate funds that comprise a school district budget. The six operating funds are; Education, Operation and Maintenance, Transportation, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund/Social Security, Working Cash, and Tort. The main fund is the Education fund.

Illinois relies heavily on local property wealth to fund education. 68% of our current fiscal year revenue is generated from local property taxes while 16% comes from other local sources. 14% of the FY 11 revenue came from the state and 2% from the federal level. The Education fund comprises nearly 60% of the overall annual budget.

On the expenditure side, 61% of district costs come in the form of salaries and benefits. 31% go toward purchased services, such as transportation, food service, special education, and vocational education costs. The remaining 8% is spent on supplies, materials, and equipment.

Each year, the Illinois State Board of Education reports a financial profile for each school district. The four designations are recognition, review, early warning, and watch.MCHS will come off the 2009 watch list and, with a score of 3.10 out of 4.00, receive review recognition for 2010.

In September of 2010, Morris Community High School was awarded the SchoolSearch Bright Star Award for the first time. Only 81 out of 869 districts were recognized for ranking in the top one-third in academic performance, but having a per pupil expenditure rank in the lower one-fourth of the State of Illinois. This recognition is an indicator of our board of educations dedication to fiscal responsibility.

The District 101 tax rate, generally between $1.75 and $1.80 per $100 of assessed valuation, places MCHS in the top 25% for the lowest high school district tax rate in Illinois. The Board of Education works hard at maintaining that target rate – a challenge that grows more difficult with the economic factors identified previously.

MCHS has partnered with Morris Elementary District 54 and Saratoga District 60C to share a variety of services that help reduce costs. Regular and special education transportation services, a curriculum coordinator, and several operation and maintenance services are shared in an effort to cut costs and increase efficiency. We also share a technology coordinator with the Grundy Area Vocational Center.

Working with the Grundy Economic Development Council, local, county, and state governments, we continue to explore new sources of revenue that can help support Morris Community High School.

The economic challenges faced by our state make it very difficult to prepare accurate budget projections. The state currently owes MCHS over $200,000, mainly in unpaid reimbursements for transportation and special education mandated services. We expect a decline in the amount of General State Aid we qualify for which will have a negative impact on the Education Fund.

Early projections of the total Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) indicate an annual decrease of five percent or greater for the next several years. The total dollars available to a school district is based on the value of the property located within our district boundaries. A decrease in the taxable residential and commercial property values decreases the amount of money we have to include in our budget. Lower EAV, a constant tax rate, and less general state aid will create severe budget challenges.

The Board of Education, administration and staff are committed to providing quality services with our available resources. Since losing thirty-five percent of the district EAV in 2005, we have been able to survive financially with minimal impact on the educational program.

The district will continue to implement a variety of cost containment/reduction strategies, including the use of attrition (not replacing staff retirements when possible), appropriate staff reductions and creating efficiencies in the area of operation and maintenance.

Our current financial projections indicate that with limited enrollment increases, the use of alternate revenue sources and continued implementation of cost containment/reduction strategies, the district will weather this downturn. Deeper reductions and additional alternate revenue sources and strategies will need to be explored if the decline in local revenue is greater than anticipated. I encourage you to visit our website at www.morrishs.org to review financial projection information prepared by PMA. The administration/ board of education page on our website also contains the 2010 Annual Financial Report and current fiscal year budget. Feel free to contact me at phalloran@morrishs.org or 815-941-5327 for further information.

Morris High Aims to Improve Achievement

In an effort to provide information about each of the Morris school districts, we have decided to write an article once a month that features a different topic. This month the topic focused on curriculum. Other topics that will be covered in the upcoming months are finance, special programs, technology, and in May a "year in review". We hope that the community finds the information useful. Our goal was to highlight some of the positives and identify our challenges and opportunities for improvement. I hope you will take time to check out some of the neat things happening at MCHS!!

Morris Aims High to Improve Achievement

"Times Like These"

The events of the past several days on the national and state level have held my interest to say the least. The senseless shooting at a Florida school board meeting several months ago seemed outrageous enough- only to be followed this week with the violence in Arizona- what a tragedy! I won't enter the debate on whether or not fierce political rhetoric contributed to this cowardly act, but it is unsettling to think of that being a possibility.

The Illinois income tax increase will impact everyone and it will be interesting to see how the business community responds in particular. Once again the political arena found center stage and rather than a solution that reflected a meaningful "across the aisle" dialogue, a partisan tax increase was the revenue solution.

I guess the schools that were hoping for the $1.00 per pack tax on cigarettes "dedicated for education" should cancel their cigarette machine orders=) Maybe schools will replace those evil soda machines with banks of video poker machines if expanded gaming revenues are earmarked for education? Time will tell.

While the financial stability of Illinois remains murky, schools continue to educate students, provide extra-curricular programs, and prepare students for whatever that "next step" may be.

Morris Community High School has been working hard to implement the strategic goals developed by the Board and Administrative staff that center around four themes: Teaching and Learning, Human/Student Resources, Communication, and Finance. I have prepared a District Scorecard that demonstrates projects that are in planning, in progress, or have been completed. We know we have many challenges ahead and we "don't always get it right", but as an organization improvements are being made that are having an impact on student achievement.

Changing the structure of the day may sound easy enough to some, but moving from a Block 4 schedule that has been used for the past 15 years to a 7 period day has presented both challenges and opportunities for healthy discussion. Guidance counselors, administrators, teachers, and support staff recently held a meeting to identify critical questions that still needed to be answered as we make this transition. The Schedule Transition spreadsheet demonstrates some of the activities taking place. A lot of outstanding discussion has occurred as a result of this change and I anticipate the end result will be positive.

I think for me one constant during times like these has always been the students! MCHS students are resilient, ambitious, and generally know right from wrong! All of us need to live by Mr. Hussey's challenge for the year: "Do Better Today"- during "Times Like These"!!