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Greenfield, MA 01310
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2008-2009

Week #27: Begins, December 29:
(Introduction to the Superintendent Journal)

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008: 2008 Comes to an End; Cell Phones; The Journal Returns January 5th, 2008; Ideas Welcome; Volunteering in Schools

2008 Comes to an End:
2008 will be one of those years to remember, like the year of a weather disaster, or a new planet discovered, or a major political event. Hmmm. Didn't all of this happen in 2008?

2008 was not an easy year to be a Greenfield teacher or parent. It could not have been an easy year to volunteer as a public school official. Resilience--that was the quality everyone needed last year. It's one of the most important of all personality features for our youth and from time to time resilience surely comes in handy for adults.

People have different traditions for changing from one year to the next, so in our own way we'll seal the new year with a kiss, throw salt over a shoulder, knock on wood, or make a champagne toast. In just hours we will all start a new year.

Certain cultures write down on little bits of paper the bad things that happened during the year. Then, they throw the little bits of paper in the river or to the wind and free themselves of these memories. I think that's right. I'll try that this year--write down a few things about 2008 I'd like to forget on little pieces of paper and throw them...someplace environmentally correct.  Let's see...

No accurate lists of employees in July
Gobs of cobwebs behind all the office furniture
Holes and leaks in school roofs
Accounting software changing just as school starts
Having to start the ELT grant without confirmation of the funding
Grievance
Gas at $4.00/gallon

Good-bye. Good-bye.

Imagining all of those memories flying off on bits of paper makes 2009 feel like a better year already.

$$$$$
It would be great if just before the year ends a few more people will consider making a $1.00 contribution to the school system. It's not the amount of money that's so important—it's making a statement that Greenfield schools are important and we need them to survive. We have a PayPal system set up where someone can give $1.00 online. I'm still holding out for 3,000 people to give $1.00. And The Dollar Club has a plan to open a textile art & sewing lab at the high school.

Any philanthropy over $1.00 will boost all school library collections in science and technology. We have someone offering to make a $5.00 donation for each person who makes any size donation before the year ends--even a $1.00 donation!!!

The Journal Will Be Written Daily and Posted Again on January 5th
Carol Holzberg, district technology administrator, posts the journal very early in the morning. She never complains about this. She will not be available for posting next week and so next week's notes will be posted again on January 5th.

In the meantime, I hope to hear what readers are reading and what else you've done over winter vacation. How did people find the two week school closing? It really does give a long enough time to have a real break. Was it too long? Or a good change?

Ideas and Comments Welcome
I try to answer all emails sent to superintendent@gpsk12.org. So if you have an idea about how neighborhood schools could serve more members of the community and give value to the town, please do share your idea. In fact, any comments are welcome. What would the perfect school be like for your children? How can the schools be more resourceful?

Volunteering in Schools
I heard that every week Senator Edward Kennedy made time to go into a public school and read to a first-grade class. The story reminded me how much my mother enjoyed volunteering with school-age children. Even at age 90, she would tell me how she'd go to the bookstore and pick out a children's book she liked. Then, on Wednesday afternoons she'd walk to the neighborhood after-school program and she'd read to the children. The program counted on her helping. She'd help with homework and ask the children "What did you learn in school today?" To her, volunteering was ever so much fun. It enriched her life.

By February, all school libraries will be open during the day. We could use volunteers. And there are students of all ages who have very little personal time with adults. Why not consider a few hours of volunteering in the schools this year?

There's a small, vacant office at Davis Building on the front landing between the first and second floor. I've heard it was once the district's volunteer headquarters.

On with 2009 and a happy, healthy new year to everyone.

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Monday, December 29, 2008: Almost the New Year and it's Thinking-Planning, Thinking-Planning Time

Time flies by. It's almost January and we are half-way through 2008-2009.

It's difficult to stop thinking about Greenfield Schools because it is so much responsibility to make careful decisions. As Mike Phillips pointed out in his published My Turn opinion, the situation at hand is an opportunity and no one at any level is exactly sure the right thing to do.

Even though no one is sure exactly what to do, someone has to keep the school system progressing and moving forward out of its former turmoil and onto a strong future course. In the absence of a clear directive or plan, the superintendent has to steer the ship. That's why I cannot stop thinking about Greenfield's schools, even out of the office. And that's why I keep writing about the options…just so some of the complexities of the possibilities and details are shared.

At any one time the percent of parents with school-age children in a community is quite low—maybe 10%-18%. So while parents and school faculty are clearly vocal about wanting quality schooling, we have to be mindful that the majority of the community looks at the schools differently. A community's majority is not as concerned about how many children are in a class or what math program is used. Most people are concerned about what schools cost, even though they know education is important.

A long-term plan that broadens involvement and support of the community might strive to increase the adult use of school buildings and have more connection to neighborhood schools. Maybe this means more adult programs in the school buildings after hours. Maybe this means planning for school libraries to function as neighborhood technology centers that open in the evenings.

There's lots to think about and not much time to narrow down workable ideas for next year. There is unlimited time to think about the long-term future and a very short time for the superintendent and school committee to think, plan, and budget for next year.

Very soon we need to decide about:

• Remodeling high school classrooms on the 2nd floor,
• Remodeling the high school period, and if it is remodeled should administrative offices or the Poet Seat program go into an addition?
• Whether or not to plan for grade 8 at the high school,
• Whether or not to re-open Four Corners,
• Whether or not to move administrative offices from Davis Street School, (the "where to" question needs a careful answer and a plan that includes the cost and timeline required for moving all the infrastructure)
• Whether or not Greenfield will sponsor an educational collaborative, a virtual school, a combined city-school human resource office, a regional or entrepreneurial school initiative,
• North Parish—now involves 6 classrooms and several personnel offices—it is much more financially efficient than before,
• Federal Street—by all accounts it has too many children. The classrooms are old and undersized by today's standards. We cannot plan for more than 25 children in a class there. There are not enough bathrooms for the number of children now…and the nursing space is not adequate for the types of services the children need.

Dismantling Davis Street – should this be a 2009-2010 priority for space? The building is paid for, real estate isn't at peak value at the moment, and the repairs needed –would these costs be less than rental or readiness for use of more appropriate in town space?

Within the next 24 months Greenfield could consolidate with another district or entity or it could expand in some entrepreneurial way. Either way, as the county seat, seems like the location of administrative office space for education would be in Greenfield. A plan for school administration space might need a little more detailed thinking than just "keep it open/ close it up."

Whatever the future, long-term vision—there is very little schooling in America that does not involve brick and mortar space. Increasingly people are using home schooling, virtual schooling, combined virtual and in-building schooling, and expeditionary or outdoor learning. Even so, this still currently involves less than 10% of the school population. For the near future public education means students in public school facilities.

Having energy efficient school facilities is probably the most important first line of decision-making in planning for 2009-2010 and beyond. It might cost something to make the buildings energy efficient, but in these times this money will be a good investment.

So in my thinking and planning, the key questions I'm pondering are:

For the 2009-2010 budget, how do we fine tune what we are doing now with facilities that is smart thinking in terms of many considerations including 1) education, 2) finances, 3) energy efficiencies, and 4) future Greenfield options that may or may not be decided for another 12 to 24 months?

What can be done to expand the concept and structure of public education so there is greater value to the community?

Page last updated on: December 31, 2008

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