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Council Highlights 11-16-05

1. Council welcomed Jay Newman, superintendent at St. Joseph ISD, to discuss high school redesign efforts underway through the Michigan Department of Education. Jay served on a panel of experts who advised Mike Flanagan as he formulated the November 15 recommendations to the State Board of Education. He described the process used to formulate the MDE recommendations. He contends that the MDE recommendations closely parallel the panel’s own recommendations, retaining the “what” of their proposal while promising to support districts with possible recommendations on “how” in later addendums. He also described recent research among high school students that indicate students:
   
   • Are willing to work harder.
   • Believe they can accomplish more in high school.
   • Want to know how their learning is useful and relevant in their own world.
   • Need to know that adults at school care about them and their learning.”
   
   Jay also emphasized that math in the senior year is a “key feature” of the MDE proposal and echoed Flanagan’s words that skipping math during the senior year is “like training all year for a marathon then quitting the training the final two weeks before the race.”
   Issues that remain to be resolved for MASA/MAISA members include:
   
   • Possible revision of highly qualified teacher rules as teachers move into new areas and teach in new settings.
   • Monitoring the pending MDE High School Content Expectations.
   • Funding issues around accelerated learning, student accounting models, computer access, and more.
   
2. The Council moved to offer a resolution of general support for the spirit of the more rigorous high school graduation requirements proposed Tuesday by State Superintendent Mike Flanagan on November 15, 2005. The Council also further resolved that ongoing discussion will occur at the region level and that MASA will continue to work through the legislation committee to ensure that the MDE and the Michigan Legislature will put into place the proper support structures for implementation. You can read and respond to the MDE’s recommendations at www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-38924---,00.html.
   
3. Executive Director, William Mayes, reminded council members to send in all K-16 Coalition Petitions, even if they are not filled completely. Every signature counts in trying to apply leverage to legislators and urge them to action on improved school funding. He also hosted a “continuing conversation” in which each region shared their most effective strategies for engaging their communities in grassroots and political action.
   • Host informal “meet the public” events at local restaurants, coffee shops or other gathering places.
   • Host “meet the district” events for local realtors and provide information packets for distribution.
   • Network with community and government agencies to address common issues and promote the community in the broader sense.
   • Spend lots of TIME developing relationships, listening to concerns, and building consensus with a variety of constituents.
   MASA members are welcome to submit their own ideas, which will be posted to the MASA website in the near future, to their region representatives.
   
4. The Professional Leadership committee announced that Thrun Law Firm, P.C. and MIEM will team up to host an event on the Legal and Practical Implications of Michigan’s New School Safety Legislation. The half-day video conference will be held Thursday, January 26 from 3:00–6:15 p.m. The host site will be LCC West in Lansing; anyone willing to provide additional sites should contact Debbie Kopkau at dkopkau@gomiem.org or 517.327.2587 no later than Friday, November 18.
   
   NOTE: The School Safety Legislation (PA 121-139 of 2005) will take affect January 1, 2006, although specific guidelines have yet to be determined by the MDE. Moreover, MASA has received conflicting interpretations by legal consultants on the implications for districts. MASA will continue to keep you informed as information is available.
   
5. Patricia Reeves announced that 43 people have expressed interest in participating in the first cohort of the Courageous Journey. If all individuals maintain their interest, this will be enough for two cohorts, with the first starting in January at the MASA Midwinter Conference and the second starting in the summer. The CJ team intends to host four full cohort events each year, augmented by smaller group and individual engagements as needed to facilitate participants’ needs. If you are interested in joining one of the cohorts, contact Pat Reeves or Carolyn Madden.