building Archive

  • SBG – Trouble is Brewing at Horse Heaven Hills This title paraphrases the words of a staff member who was describing recent events related to teacher concerns about Standards Based Grading.     Two issues are central to the controversy at the middle school: A significant number of teachers want to revisit the decision to implement Standards Based Grading The building site council is unwilling or unable to take action on behalf of those staff

    SBG – Trouble is Brewing at Horse Heaven Hills

    Posted on March 23, 2012 | 4 Comments
    SBG – Trouble is Brewing at Horse Heaven Hills This title paraphrases the words of a staff member who was describing recent events related to teacher concerns about Standards Based Grading.     Two issues are central to the controversy at the middle school: A significant number of teachers want to revisit the decision to implement Standards Based Grading The building site council is unwilling or unable to take action on behalf of those staff

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  • SBG is still controversial This article was planned as a progress report on implementation of SBG in Kennewick middle schools.  Building administrators have declined requests for information about the status of SBG in their buildings.  While my first interview was with a teacher who favors SBG and generally speaks well of its adoption most staff members I contacted are critical of SBG. Consequently, I make no claim to be representing a comprehensive view of SBG in Kennewick.  My efforts to obtain information from building administrators will continue and will be reported later.   Middle school teachers from Highlands, Horse Heaven Hills and Park met with Kennewick Education Association (KEA) and Washington Education Association (WEA) representatives recently to register concerns about the implementation of SBG.  As a consequence, KEA filed grievances with Kennewick School District on behalf of the Union. Desert...

    Standards Based Grading in KSD Middle Schools – Update on Implementation

    Posted on March 14, 2012 | 5 Comments
    SBG is still controversial This article was planned as a progress report on implementation of SBG in Kennewick middle schools.  Building administrators have declined requests for information about the status of SBG in their buildings.  While my first interview was with a teacher who favors SBG and generally speaks well of its adoption most staff members I contacted are critical of SBG. Consequently, I make no claim to be representing a comprehensive view of SBG in Kennewick.  My efforts to obtain information from building administrators will continue and will be reported later.   Middle school teachers from Highlands, Horse Heaven Hills and Park met with Kennewick Education Association (KEA) and Washington Education Association (WEA) representatives recently to register concerns about the implementation of SBG.  As a consequence, KEA filed grievances with Kennewick School District on behalf of the Union. Desert...

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  • Having witnessed the development of Kennewick School District’s North Star goals and knowing these goals will drive KSD programs and allocation of staff and district resources for the next 7 to 10 years, KSD Citizens proposes a more inclusive process guaranteed to enlist community and staff participation from the beginning, instead of at the end. The current process for developing Kennewick School District Strategic Plan North Star goals suffers several inherent weaknesses: • The initial plan was proposed by one board member who, potentially, has at least two notable biases favoring MAP testing and certain reading programs. This “stacks the deck”. See notes. • Superintendent Dave Bond’s proposal, which was accepted for consideration, made it clear these goals will be developed from the top-down. See notes. • While the board and administration conducted an interesting dialogue over the goals from...

    Problems with KSD’s Strategic Plan

    Posted on June 7, 2011 | 2 Comments
    Having witnessed the development of Kennewick School District’s North Star goals and knowing these goals will drive KSD programs and allocation of staff and district resources for the next 7 to 10 years, KSD Citizens proposes a more inclusive process guaranteed to enlist community and staff participation from the beginning, instead of at the end. The current process for developing Kennewick School District Strategic Plan North Star goals suffers several inherent weaknesses: • The initial plan was proposed by one board member who, potentially, has at least two notable biases favoring MAP testing and certain reading programs. This “stacks the deck”. See notes. • Superintendent Dave Bond’s proposal, which was accepted for consideration, made it clear these goals will be developed from the top-down. See notes. • While the board and administration conducted an interesting dialogue over the goals from...

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  • KSD Citizens accepts that change is often important and necessary in education. Change must be beneficial and appropriate. Managing change well is essential to its’ success. While some administrators prefer using their authority to impose change, our bias favors Democratic shared decision making which includes authentic participation by all stakeholders.  KSD has the means in place to achieve this. This article is the first of several relating the adoption of SBG in Kennewick middle schools. We believe there are lessons to be learned. Little known or understood by Kennewick families, Standards Based Grading (SBG) is coming to Kennewick middle schools. Proponents describe SBG as a more meaningful way to express what students know and are able to do. Skeptics say SBG is no more helpful than traditional grading and creates complicated management and scheduling for teachers. I learned about SBG when...

    Standards Based Grading in KSD Middle Schools is Controversial

    Posted on May 19, 2011 | 12 Comments
    KSD Citizens accepts that change is often important and necessary in education. Change must be beneficial and appropriate. Managing change well is essential to its’ success. While some administrators prefer using their authority to impose change, our bias favors Democratic shared decision making which includes authentic participation by all stakeholders.  KSD has the means in place to achieve this. This article is the first of several relating the adoption of SBG in Kennewick middle schools. We believe there are lessons to be learned. Little known or understood by Kennewick families, Standards Based Grading (SBG) is coming to Kennewick middle schools. Proponents describe SBG as a more meaningful way to express what students know and are able to do. Skeptics say SBG is no more helpful than traditional grading and creates complicated management and scheduling for teachers. I learned about SBG when...

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  • On Thursday, April 28, I participated in the review and evaluation of the proposed KSD Strategic Plan North Star goals during a session starting at noon at the district Administration Center. A previous session had been offered Monday from 6 to 7 PM with only one participant. I was one of 24 citizens attending this meeting along with 4 district administrators and the communications director. Lunch was served at this session, which Superintendent Dave Bond humorously speculated brought out more people. Bond opened the presentation with a description of characteristics of KSD which have been reported on this web site in detail. He explained that the new Strategic Plan, when adopted by the school board in June, will guide the district’s programs and use of resources for the next 7 to 10 years. After explaining the process for responding to...

    KSD Collects Community Input on the Proposed Strategic Plan

    Posted on April 29, 2011 | No Comments
    On Thursday, April 28, I participated in the review and evaluation of the proposed KSD Strategic Plan North Star goals during a session starting at noon at the district Administration Center. A previous session had been offered Monday from 6 to 7 PM with only one participant. I was one of 24 citizens attending this meeting along with 4 district administrators and the communications director. Lunch was served at this session, which Superintendent Dave Bond humorously speculated brought out more people. Bond opened the presentation with a description of characteristics of KSD which have been reported on this web site in detail. He explained that the new Strategic Plan, when adopted by the school board in June, will guide the district’s programs and use of resources for the next 7 to 10 years. After explaining the process for responding to...

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  • On Friday, February 25, I participated in a tour to Canyon View and Cottonwood elementary schools with 16 other community members. Superintendent, Dave Bond hosted the event with support from Lorraine Cooper and principals Mark Stephens and MaryAnn Kautzky. At 8:15 the program opened at the district Administration Center with Bond describing characteristics of Kennewick School District. The district budget is approximately $143 million and serves just over 16,000 students. Free and reduced cost lunch is provided to 51% of students. This measure is an indicator of poverty and also correlates with student achievement in school. KSD has banked funds which will see the district through the state budget crisis until 2014.

    KSD Bus Tour of Canyon View and Cottonwood

    Posted on March 1, 2011 | 4 Comments
    On Friday, February 25, I participated in a tour to Canyon View and Cottonwood elementary schools with 16 other community members. Superintendent, Dave Bond hosted the event with support from Lorraine Cooper and principals Mark Stephens and MaryAnn Kautzky. At 8:15 the program opened at the district Administration Center with Bond describing characteristics of Kennewick School District. The district budget is approximately $143 million and serves just over 16,000 students. Free and reduced cost lunch is provided to 51% of students. This measure is an indicator of poverty and also correlates with student achievement in school. KSD has banked funds which will see the district through the state budget crisis until 2014.

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  • Dedication of the new Kennewick School District Administration Center. Bond credited the KSD Facilities Study Committee headed by John Perkins for recommending the purchase of the former Food Pavilion for renovation as the new district administration building in 2006. A bond issue was posed to the community in 2008 and passed in May of 2009. Kevin Veleke was recognized for work to pass the bond.

    KSD School Board Report by Tom Staly

    Posted on January 20, 2011 | 1 Comment
    Dedication of the new Kennewick School District Administration Center. Bond credited the KSD Facilities Study Committee headed by John Perkins for recommending the purchase of the former Food Pavilion for renovation as the new district administration building in 2006. A bond issue was posed to the community in 2008 and passed in May of 2009. Kevin Veleke was recognized for work to pass the bond.

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  • Based on election results with voters rejecting a state income tax, repealing tax on bottled water and candy, rejecting additional bonding capacity and requiring a 2/3 vote of both houses of the legislature to pass new taxes it is clear schools must accept reduced budgets. With the state budget deficit projected to be $4.5 to 5 billion the governor acknowledges voters want programs cut.

    KSD School Board Report by Tom Staly

    Posted on November 19, 2010 | No Comments
    Based on election results with voters rejecting a state income tax, repealing tax on bottled water and candy, rejecting additional bonding capacity and requiring a 2/3 vote of both houses of the legislature to pass new taxes it is clear schools must accept reduced budgets. With the state budget deficit projected to be $4.5 to 5 billion the governor acknowledges voters want programs cut.

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