Textbook delay in District 150
Peoria School District 150 Superintendent Grenita Lathan admits the district has been going through a case of what she calls "the T and T's"...transportation and textbooks. Lathan says there has been a delay in some books and materials getting handed out.
Comptroller David Kinney says District 150 bought nearly four times the amount of new material during the off-season than in the last two years combined. Kinney says that's a bunch, "We also bought a bunch during a summer that had nine weeks." "(With) the last school year starting a couple of weeks late and then four snow days, it was a very short summer," says Kinney.
Lathan says there are other reasons for the delay. "We saw an increase in the number of kindergartners so, in reference to science materials we ordered, we did not have enough kindergarten materials so we sent those out," Lathan told the District 150 school board Monday.
"Also, we are implementing Scientific Resource Associates and you do not send those materials until the students are assessed and you know where they're starting," says Lathan. Lathan says 15 screeners have completed that work and now the proper materials can get to the students.Source
Peoria School District 150 Superintendent Grenita Lathan admits the district has been going through a case of what she calls "the T and T's"...transportation and textbooks. Lathan says there has been a delay in some books and materials getting handed out.
Comptroller David Kinney says District 150 bought nearly four times the amount of new material during the off-season than in the last two years combined. Kinney says that's a bunch, "We also bought a bunch during a summer that had nine weeks." "(With) the last school year starting a couple of weeks late and then four snow days, it was a very short summer," says Kinney.
Lathan says there are other reasons for the delay. "We saw an increase in the number of kindergartners so, in reference to science materials we ordered, we did not have enough kindergarten materials so we sent those out," Lathan told the District 150 school board Monday.
"Also, we are implementing Scientific Resource Associates and you do not send those materials until the students are assessed and you know where they're starting," says Lathan. Lathan says 15 screeners have completed that work and now the proper materials can get to the students.Source
58 comments:
Sounds like a case of the WTF's to me.
So, I hear the old Blaine Sumner might be reopening. The building - once closed then reopened as a refurbished administrative haven - only to be closed again - is going to open its doors once again as The Martha Ross Parent University Graduate School and Youth Cotillion Outreach Center. Apparently Ross is going to team up with Fresno State Online University and the National League of Junior Cotillions to make this dream a reality. Apparently, fabrication of a climate controlled Morton Building is scheduled to begin next week. The new building will be used to construct a state of the art District 150 book bus replica float for the East Peoria Festival of Lights Parade.
Did I miss the part where they told us when the books would be in?
Why would kindergartner materials hold up middle and high school books and materials.
I counted a total of seven (7) excuses:
new material
purchased a lot of material
timing of the start of school year
short summer
increase in kindergartners
not enough kindergartner material
assessment tests
Well we asked why - there you go.
Excuse shortage, there is not. :)
This confused me. Too many excuses, and not enough actual dates for the arrival of textbooks.
You are an experienced administrator, with a doctorate in education, getting a salary of upwards of $200,000 and you don't know lead times to get textbooks in the classroom? Really? These excuses are nothing more than excuses and they are lame and inexcusable.
AND what kind of special materials do kindergartners need anyway?
Emerge, I'm glad you questioned the connection between kindergarten materials and the hold up of middle school texts--otherwise, I thought I should wait till morning when I wasn't so tired--then maybe that excuse would make sense to me. I'm glad to know that you saw it as absurd, too. She doesn't seem to address any of the situations where "old" textbooks are in short supply--she is just dealing with the new science books.
Again--information, please. When did these assessments start and please don't tell me that the 15 screeners were from out of town.
Also, this convoluted answer from Lathan and Kinney is the kind of response that the average reader will swallow--somehow it sounds good to those who aren't in the situation. These are the kinds of answers I hear from Lathan often--I think she is used to working in large school districts where people aren't quite so connected--doesn't think we know how to get to the bottom of the story.
and yet, TRUE professionals often overcome challenges and obstacles. I only wish my children were being educated by them. My reasons for looking outside D150 have more to do with the half-hearted efforts by teachers (majority in the last two years don't live in Peoria) than by efforts of administrators. Get to work and get the job done!
I thought these books were copyrighted. Is it legal to make copies and distribute to students? Will students be charged textbook fees for only 3/4 of the school year?
Emerge says, "Well we asked why - there you go."
So funny! I love your sarcastic side, Emerge.
It is illegal to copy these books, but what are the teachers supposed to do? Hopefully, if Johnny Lawman comes to town, he will be more interested in why our children have no books rather than our teachers breaking some copyright laws.
I would love to see the district's response to a large group of parents demanding a partial refund for textbook rental fees.
To the first Anonymous...you come spend too much time and money at Kinko's copying the only book I have for my students. Copy paper is now being limited...thanks, administrators! They didn't know when school started, so the books didn't get here, and then all of these excuses. Really?
My students get a quality education, one that I pay for and spend tons of time making sure they have all they need. I get them school supplies, along with making books that are not forthcoming.
The teachers need help with students getting to school on time, not sitting on buses for 2 hours, smaller class sizes, books to be ready opening day of school and discipline that fits the infraction.
I saw a news story a few weeks ago about the school buses in Canton and a reporter was at the bus stop while the kids waited...and waited...and waited. The bus was either 20 or 40 minutes late, I can't remember. Why can't they do that with a District 150 bus stop? There is no excuse for a child to be 2 hours late for school!
From a Middle School Teacher, "Thanks, Emerge, for your diligence; books arrived today!"
Did anyone from the district check to see if the delay was due to problems from the publisher? If that is the case, then I can see them giving permission to copy what books have arrived.
Otherwise, accountability has to placed somewhere about this issue.
Great to hear that books are starting to come in!
I'm not so sure it has anything to do with this blog though - they had to arrive eventually.
I appreciate teachers doing what they can to get the word out.
Parents have students at bus stops waiting. Teachers are at school ready. Now if the buses and the books (Administration) can get their act together, perhaps kids can start learning.
From a middle school teacher - By the way, the books that were received today were used books--so the publisher was not a problem. The books were just sitting somewhere in District 150.
"...(T)he books...received...were used books--so the publisher was not a problem. The books were just sitting somewhere in District 150."
While possibly true, why is that necessarily true? Well, apart from your own apparent distaste for the administration.
I'm glsd that you don't teach my children with that kind of insightful thought process.
Spikeless- How else do you explain the situation? The books were used! Do you think the publisher sent them used books? I also heard they were sitting around D150, specifically at the warehouse. Poor planning on the part of the administration.
I don't know where the books were and apparently neither do you...which is exactly my point. Unless you are aware that all or nearly all of the books delivered had been used last year in District 150, your assertion is unfounded. If they were used in District 150 last year, then say so and give us some idea how you are aware of that. The receipt by you of used books without additional information is of little or no value.
are the warehouse workers union? certainly can't be their fault! Just read the front page of the Trib today. Our state gov't is so in bed with unions it is ruining us. and for those who don't think existing and/or promised benefits can't be reduced - watch out
Spikeless, As Emerge points out in this post, WMBD asked Lathan about the books. She didn't seem to have an answer as to why teachers didn't have enough books (the old ones, not the new ones about which she responded). She had her chance to respond and chose to talk in circles instead. If the District can't give straight, informative answers to questions, then they must not want us to know the truth and we are left to ask and speculate as to why.
Anonymous--what do warehouse union workers have to do with any of this situation? How many union workers do you think are housed at Ricketts center? Also, these books were probably (just guessing) sitting around at the newly closed schools such as Garfield and Columbia. Someone on Wisconsin Avenue (non-union) didn't think that they might be needed by schools with more students due to the closing of two schools.
The buck stopped at Wisconsin Avenue and if there was someone else to blame (warehouses, shippers, etc.), then Lathan had her chance to tell WMBD. If new books (to replace lost old books) had been ordered, why couldn't Lathan state that the books were enroute, etc. (P.S.--I don't think that is the case). Also, one middle school teacher and/or one school in the District received books today (as reported here). That doesn't necessarily mean that all teachers received needed books today.
Don't teachers, principals, parents, and students deserve specific explanations as to why books are 5 weeks late?
Spikeless, if your children didn't have books for 5 weeks, would you be asking any questions?
Ok, Spikeless, the math, literature, and history books just received by the middle school teacher had names in them and were District 150 texts--now what is your excuse for District 150's very late delivery of these books to the school where they were needed?
Back to Thinking Maps (graphic organizers) and the minimum of $85,138 spent on 552 books for teachers only and seminar speakers who taught how to use the thinking maps. I just asked a high school student if her teachers ever use graphic organizers (if you've seen one you've seen them all). She looked at me as though I were crazy. She said I've been using graphic organizers since I was in 5th grade at Washington Gifted. Also, transparencies for graphic organizers are provided in the Pearson Prentice Hall social studies book used by 150. Did anyone ask teachers if Thinking Maps would be a waste of District 150 money?
Sharon-
I am neither an apologist for the District nor making excuses for the situation.I simply don't know what did or did not happen.
Anonymous teacher never said the books were used by D-150 only that they were used. I have no idea if the District purchased used books from a publisher or provider, or if a publisher failed to have sufficient numbers of new volumes and provided used copies nor has anyone indicated what the situation actually was.
I am perfectly willing to criticize the District if it failed to either timely order or failed to deliver books that were in its possession. However, I am unwilling to assume that either of those situations occurred, any more than I am willing to assume that either of the possibilities to which I referred previously in this post had actually happened.
I wholeheartedly agree that the failure of the District to provide adequate explanation is at the least inappropriate.
that being said, I do suggest that you reread what I posted and take them for what they say. My issue was, and continues to be, with the posting of the assertions by the anonymous teacher without indication of some foundation for the complaint that would allow him/her to logically draw the conclusion espoused. Teachers, as well as administrators, should be held to articulation of their positions in a logical manner.
Actually, I was the Anonymous who posted the information for the middle school teacher. You can only get so much information in a text. All middle school teacher said was that the books arrived--if you reread the message from the teacher. All of the other speculators, including me, were not the teacher. However, now that I did receive the information that the books were District 150's used books, there is no other conclusion to draw but that the District was responsible for the delay--we are talking a 5-week delay in distributing books housed in a 150 building. This isn't Chicago of San Diego--it doesn't take long to get from one building to another.
CyberBully tells me that Thinking Maps are going to extend beyond the classroom. Apparently, all of the area junior high athletic coaches were called to a meeting and told that they had to use Thinking Maps when designing plays and when explaining said plays to their athletes. Mandatory. Coaches are now to refer to their athletes as thinkletes. This program will be piloted at the junior high and will reach into the high schools as early as next year.
So, when you assign your curriculum director to oversee textbooks, reassign her to a school but don't change her title or pay and she quits in humiliation, you don't replace her, hire new folks from out of state over elementary schools and assign that person to someone who travels more than shows up for work, transfer/dismiss principals throughout the district, and terrorizes your employees for bringing up anything negative.... well you get textbooks sitting in a warehouse for 5 weeks.
That's the scenario- not the seven excuses. Maybe the strategic plan will clear it all up.....
I believe District 150 plans to use the Cause-Effect Multi-Flow Map in the Deans' offices to make the consequences for bad behavior more graphic for students. The deans have had no trouble filling in the center rectangle for the cause but are struggling with the effect (consequences) boxes that emanate from the cause box.
ahhh - so at least one other anon is a N.Carolinian who didn't pass muster. Be gone.....
Are we sure the Board hasn't been using these Thinking Maps? Sure does not look like they have been thinking for themselves. Kool-Aid anyone??
Looks like Lathan has someone monitoring the blogs. I think their time would be better spent taking care of issues like textbooks and transportation.
2:45 p.m. - Fight in the foyer at Central cars heading over there now. Oh wait, some cars can’t go, they are on stand by for a fight at Manual.
I had heard from a most reliable source that fights at Manual have been occurring regularly. Also, the new regulations required that if a teacher is hurt in a fight, the security (resource officers) can't handle it. The teacher has to go to the police station to file a complaint. Now do any of you think that teachers will be encouraged to leave school (or even to go on their own time) to report such an event. I'm not sure what happens if a teacher would have to be hauled out on a stretcher. Yes, this administration is truly interested in transparency and discipline. Ha!
Emerge, keep your scanner under lock and key--someone from 150 will be coming. :)
Today, a security officer told me that Lathan told them that any money the district loses because of the security guards' lawsuit will come out of the security guards' contract. Baaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha.
I don't know what her issue is re: the security guards. They do a good job. They have solid relationships with the kids and they take care of business when business needs to be taken care of . . .
All of this hard-core control is reminiscent of third world countries where leaders groom the military to exact vengeance on naysayers . . . (or . . . the . . . UN sheep.
Minutes from Lathan's meeting with the security officers:
1.) Applaud for me at all times.
2.) Don't sue me because if you do any loss I suffer will come directly out of YOUR paycheck.
3.) Don't protect the teachers while they're at school. That's what the city police are for. You're here to protect ME. And to applaud for me.
4.) Books? If the security guards wouldn't spend so much time trying to sue me, the teachers would have their books!
5.) Arrest anyone who even thinks about submitting a FOIA.
6.) Applaud for me at all times.
7.) Applaud for Latoy too.
8.) Three things: Respect the Lathan. Respect the Lathan. Respect the Lathan.
9.) Don't sue me and the busses will run on time. Bastards!
10.) Remember. We're here for the children.
Emerge,
I'll pay you gas money if you go pop in on Chief Collins down at Woodruff any time from 7:30-9am M-F. I hear that he is teaching an auto-body class there while he's supposed to be policing the district. Maybe you could ask to see his badge . . . and his teaching certificate.
Hopefully Chief Collins can bring a sense of professionalism to the wannabe-neverwill officers of 150. If not, outsource them to save money. Most of'em haven't done a good job. Part of the problem of getting good instructional vocational teachers is that the best are, by profession, craftsmen, not teachers. Again the unions block whats best for students.
Whatever, the fact remains that Greg Collins has a job between 7:30 and 9 as the chief of security. And it's one for which he needs to have a physical presence, especially at those hours.
Seems the administration is teflon. No matter the oops- the books, the firings, the transfers, the buses, the security guards, the lawsuits, the friends from out of state, the shutting of schools, the switch and bait with the teacher's union, the entire pd plan hingin on graphic organizers, the opening/closing of schools, the lack of candor on expenses, the trips, the drama, the complete lack of civility- no response from the school board other than a green light.
We are getting books...just not all of them.
Sooooooo. If I have a teaching certificate and suddenly decide I want to be a doctor or plumber you don't think the doctors and plumbers might object to me not being certified to plumb or to perform surgery? Chill out, Joe Camel.
Tired old analogy there teach. Who better to teach auto mechanics - a tired ol'teach that's been bumped around and only there due to outdated tenure rules or a true auto-mechanic that is truly engaged in his craft and wants to impart his knowledge to students? Now go back to class hand and turn on your projector so your students can catch up on there sleep. Geessh
Chief collins is a retired cop not a retired auto mechanic so according to your logic shouldn't he be sitting around eating donuts while teachers are at their projectors?
laughing out loud...
While it is true that Collins was a good cop, he hasn't done much for 150. His first official act, was, he was worried that some of the uniforms did not match, then he went on a vacation. In stead of helping with the bodyshop class, one would think he has more important things to do. The Peoria Police is using a lot of manpower to make sure the dismissals at Central and Manual are peaceful. So if you need them around that time and they can't respond, don't blame the former Campus Police. They are a guard dog that has no teeth and can't leave their yard. Hello! Someone should bring up the stats on how many murders there are in Peoria, I would say an average of two a month for a lest that last 5 years. And the super is worried that the campus police didn't show her respect? Really? Peoria students aren't the Osmonds. We have real serious issues here. Someone is going to get hurt. Bad. Todays JS has two lawsuits on the front page. Guess it couldn't be covered up. And for the record, I don't think you can blame the two "Union" workers at the warehouse for the book fiasco, there is only so much you can do, and book is not the only thing they do, and they have bosses deciding what is important. Can you say Nero is fiddling while Rome burns? Or maybe the "emperors need someone to tell them they are naked.
First, Collins' qualifications have nothing whatsoever to do with this situation. What matters is that he already has a job for which he is needed from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
Also, remember that District 150 once had auto mechanics classes and vocational classes--with certified teachers. Also, remember two years ago, Manual tried to hire retired Cat workers to teach a class--he quit after a week or so because he wasn't willing to put up with discipline problems. The average worker in the trades isn't going to put up with the circumstances for which teachers do have some training and/or expectations. Outsiders are totally shocked by the discipline problems. The reason Collins was hired has nothing to do with certification (he isn't a certified teacher), but probably due to the fact that teachers can't be found.
One could argue that Officer Collins is doing exactly what a school resource officer should be doing, getting to know the students, showing them the kinder gentler side of law enforcement (if you will).
...chances are if you look closer, you might find other school resource officers "working" with students in some capacity.
I just don't get how hard this process can be. Get an enrollment number for each grade level at each school. The district is losing kids each year so we should have plenty of the books which we are re-using. Aren't most books stored at the school through the summer anyway? I can't come up with a single good reason (excuse) for why the used books in the district aren't in classrooms. The glorious thinking maps should also be in the schools and, since we paid so much money for them, should be in classrooms so they can be used. I hear that is not the case.
How in the world are all the different things going wrong in the district right now being kept out of the media?!??
Just like I posted on PJS site, these lawsuits are from incidents that occurred BEFORE Lathan was hired as superintendent. So she would be following the advice of the lawyer and the Board Members involved, as far as settling vs. going to court.
Dennis in Peoria, it probably seems and is a fact that many people are leveling complaints against Dr. Lathan. However, the truth is that she could not be doing or not doing any of what she is accused if the board were not giving her permission to do so. The board has the ultimate responsibility.
Also, Emerge, I, too, believe that security often finds ways to build positive relationships with students; however, I believe having the security chief as the teacher in a classroom is a first. Personally, I think it would be great if administrators taught a class now and then--but I think Collins should be quite busy with his real job.
What I wouldn't give to see an administrator or board member trying to teach a class in some of our Peoria schools.
Yeah. I seem to recall an officer years ago who was redding a basketball game while on duty. I believe he was fired. I don't care if they want to bring in mechanics to teach mechanics. Actually, I hope they do. But with everything that's going on in 150, you'd think the chief would be way too busy to teach while he's supposed to be policing the district. I know I'm way too busy as a teacher to do anything else and I probably only get paid a fraction of what the chief gets paid.
Reffing
Emerge, wondering if you have any insights on Paxton, a new life skills computer based program installed in middle schools. Kids learn about giving parties, and caring for babies, and doing drywall. Not saying these are not valuable skills (for 12 year olds) but am saying that this coincides with Spanish language becoming a one-quarter bonus subject, scheduled when kids are also pulled out for chorus, band, and challenge instruction. Am also saying it was put in during the same summer that CCMS went Title I. Coincidence of the assumption that these kids won't need Spanish, but will need to take care of babies any day now. and that they get this program in, but can't get texts on time, is a little chilling. I am writing to you because District Superintendant Lathan has not answered request for more information. I really want to know what the district is doing to college readiness. Any leads?
Have you seen the pathetic excuse for a District 150 calendar that was just "unveiled." The back cover is all about Thinking Maps. Whereas the pictures for each month used to showcase District 150 students, the pictures this year are all black and white photos, showing students engaged in work at various kinds of technological work stations. I believe that this is an example of another district lie--this equipment does not exist in District 150 and the photographs are not of District 150 students.
However, the calendar gives the impression that these are District 150 students at Woodruff.
Post a Comment