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School Board News Bulletin
October 2001

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ROY MIDGETT, WHO MADE THE TOUGH DECISIONS, IS RETIRING FROM IASB’S BOARD

HONOR GREAT SCHOOL- BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS'

SCHOOLS NEED TO "STAY THE COURSE" ON STATE STANDARDS: MCGEE

SCHOOLS RECEIVE QUESTIONABLE INVOICES FROM STUDENT LEADERSHIP NETWORK

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Nominate school leaders for Those Who Excel Awards

Crisis response advice offered

Internet auctioning service provided for school districts

DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL LAW

NEWS FROM IASB

Cole Awards go to newspapers for exemplary coverage

Survey reveals schools’ collective bargaining practices and training needs

RESEARCH REPORTS

National education researcher: Pare standards, improve home environment

Parental stress linked to asthma

THE NATIONAL SCENE

Performance-enhancing supplements widely abused

JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

NEWS HEADLINES

By James Russell

The 1975 edition of Robinson High School yearbook, "Robinillo," asked the local school board president about his function as a public servant in the field of education.

"Most importantly, a school board member should be interested in the education of children … (He) should be open-minded and ready to discuss all issues that have anything to do with the educational welfare of these students ... (And he) should have the integrity to stand for what he feels is right."

The board president then, and today, is Roy Midgett.

In the succeeding 26 years, Midgett has carved out a lifetime career as public servant to the Robinson C.U. District 2 district. That career, which began in 1968, is coming to a close next month, when his term expires.

Midgett suffered his first and only election defeat in April 2001. He has no regrets about the outcome, and stands by his career as a consistent, fair-minded board member, who missed only two regularly scheduled meetings in 33 years.

"One was for kidney stones and the other for a heart attack," said the 73-year-old Flat Rock farmer.

Midgett was honored for his years of service at the recent fall dinner meeting of the Wabash Valley Division of IASB. He chaired the division for 12 years before spending the next 16 years on the board of directors of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

Many area and state board members were on hand to thank Midgett for his service.

Jerry Eiffert, past president of the IASB board, said he was there to honor Roy "not only as a board member, but as a friend."

Michael D. Johnson, Executive Director of IASB, said he especially respected Roy as a board member "who is willing to make the tough decisions for the good of the local district and the association, even if it has negative consequences for him as a person."

Midgett, in his typically understated but colorful demeanor, told the audience that few people ever told him he did a good job. "But they kept re-electing me," he quipped.

Claiming that he never circulated a petition or campaigned for his board seat, he acknowledged that a high voter turnout for other local elections, confusion over township voting, and unpopular decisions to redistrict the grade schools and use life-safety funds to rebuild the high school probably contributed to his one and only defeat.

"I never thought you should spend money on a job that pays nothing," he said in regards to campaigning for the school board seat.

Midgett also acknowledged that a good board member has to consider other points of view when discussing local issues. "It’s a good idea before you speak out to get the facts first," he said, crediting his relationship with 10 successful superintendents for his information.

Watching several generations of students – including three of his own children – attend and graduate from Robinson schools was his greatest satisfaction.

"We just want to get the best education possible with the money we had to spend," Midgett said, before receiving plenty of hugs, applause, and a plaque from the IASB, which left him "shocked and honored."

Source: Jim Russell, IASB Director of Publications.

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Do you know a school-business partnership that deserves a "pat on the back?" For 10 consecutive years the ISBN has recognized exemplary partnerships, and this year will be no exception. Selected business-education partnerships will be invited to a gala dinner February 1, 2002 at the four-star Fairmont Hotel in downtown Chicago to receive customized awards. To make a nomination, just answer five questions on the application form and submit it by November 30. The form can be downloaded from the ISBN website, http://www.isbe.net, under "Current News and Events." For more information call Jan Slingsby at 217/782-0733 or e-mail her at jslingsb@isbe.net.

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Illinois schools have made progress but will need to "stay the course" on standards and assessment, school improvement and support for struggling students. That was the message from State Superintendent Glenn W. "Max" McGee at the 24th Annual Superintendent’s Conference September 21 in Springfield.

"It’s all about working together," McGee said " … to set the table for a veritable feast of teaching and learning; to lead with passion and courage; and to remember that the most important people in education are our kids."

McGee’s remarks were followed by a presentation from Ronald J. Gidwitz, ISBN board chairman, whose question-and-answer period drew sometimes pointed remarks from district superintendents concerned with the naming of McGee’s successor, constantly changing directives from the state and taking the blame for all that is wrong with education.

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A group calling itself Student Leadership Network (SLN) is preying on unsuspecting accounts payable staffers in schools across the Midwest. Schools are being sent an invoice form that closely resembles a legitimate one sent out each year at this time by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC).

The so-called SLN, located in Chicago, is under investigation but reportedly remains in operation. The group’s mailing solicits payment for student council memberships in middle schools, junior highs, and high schools.

During the spring and fall of 2000, the SLN began mailing a promotional piece resembling an NASC invoice, which was sent to the attention of accounts payable clerks at individual schools. The solicitations were in the amount of $85, but the price soon jumped to $185.

The group’s new mailing includes a form headed "membership acceptance," which appropriates the name "NASC" on its top left-hand corner, but without the NASC logo. The SLN is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by NASC.

School leaders may help prevent being defrauded by alerting student council advisors and staff about the apparent scam. All legitimate NASC dues are sent to their Reston, Virginia, address and the NASC logo always appears on the NASC’s forms and renewal notices.

Schools that receive a false invoice may wish to file a complaint with the office of the Illinois Attorney General or with the Federal Trade Com mission’s bureau of consumer protection.

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TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

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Would you like to give recognition to the board members and other individuals who have made outstanding contributions to education in your school district? Here’s you chance. Nomination forms for the 2002-2003 Those Who Excel Awards program are being mailed to all school districts in Illinois, but the deadline has been moved up six months. The deadline for postmarking submission of nominations—which this year was in July—has been set for January 11, 2002. For more information call ISBE’s communications and external relations office at 712/782-4648.

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Where can school districts turn to obtain assistance in addressing ongoing concerns related to the September 11 terrorist attacks on our nation? Areas of concern include school mental health, hate-motivated behavior, and the need to maintain a safe, positive school environment. Numerous resources are available from The U.S. Department of Education and other reputable organizations via the Web site at http://156.3.254.236/lacoeweb/DocsForms/20010911035529_guidelines.pdf

For example The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, offers guidelines for parents and teachers for crisis response. Included are "Responding to a Crisis Situation," "Age-Appropriate Reactions and Intervention Strategies," and "Practical Information Concerning Grief Counseling."

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A Web site based in Orem, Utah is providing Web-based auctioning services for school districts and state government agencies that wish to dispose of used or obsolete materials and supplies. While some Utah school districts have conducted live auctions in the past, this Web-based alternative provides an option for bidders (and the agencies wishing to rid themselves of surplus property) year round. Items for sale have included file cabinets, microscopes, chalkboards and school buses. The website is located at esurplusauction.com.

Illinois school districts may use an auctioning service to sell personal property, which is property that is movable, not including crops or other resources attached to land. State law authorizes a school board "[t]o sell at public or private sale any personal property belonging to the school district, and either not needed for school purposes or available through an arrangement under which such personal property may be leased by the district from the purchaser." This may be a creative way of leveraging additional income in exchange for unwanted items.

Source: Melinda Selbee, IASB General Counsel.

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NEWS FROM IASB

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A third category was added to this year’s Robert M. Cole Awards, which annually recognize newspapers doing a superior job of covering issues facing Illinois school boards. New guidelines were added, as well, to recognize outstanding coverage of education issues that emphasize the community’s connection with its local public school district.

The top prize in the large newspaper category—for weeklies or dailies with a circulation greater than 8,000—went to the staff of the Rockford Register Star. "Exhaustive! Wonderful packaging! Interactive! It’s hard to imagine how anyone could cover schools better," the contest judges wrote. The Rockford newspaper also won top prize in 1992, 1994, and 1996.

For the first time, two top awards were offered to smaller papers, one to dailies and one to weeklies. Pam Monson of the Free Press Advocate, Wilmington, won the top prize for weeklies with a circulation less than 8,000. The same newspaper had last earned top honors in 1998. Contest judges wrote: "Clear writing, expansive coverage. Community is well served by this newspaper, as are the students. Coverage fosters strong connection between both."

The Leader-Union, Vandalia, won first prize for dailies with a circulation of less than 8,000. The Vandalia paper was a first-time winner. "Exceptional work to present a variety of issues in formats that stimulate community interest and involvement," the judges wrote in praise of the work of The Leader-Union reporter Katie Thaman.

The awards have been sponsored by IASB for more than 20 years as part of the Illinois Press Association’s annual newspaper contest. The Robert M. Cole Awards are named for the first full-time director of IASB.

Second prize for larger papers was awarded to The State Journal-Register, Springfield. There was a tie for third place among larger papers, however, between The Daily Journal, Kankakee and The Daily Gazette, Sterling.

Second prize for smaller weekly newspapers was awarded to the Salem Times Commoner (which had previously earned honorable mention in 1998). Third prize for smaller weeklies went to The Cahokia Herald, while an honorable mention in this category went to the Mason County Democrat, Havana.

Second prize for smaller dailies was awarded to the Morris Daily Herald, while third prize went to The Courier, Lincoln.

Entries were judged on their contribution to public understanding of local school governance, and on their support for effective dialogue that helps the community and board define major policy issues. Entries also were judged on depth of reporting, enterprise, and clarity of writing.

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IASB distributed a questionnaire to Illinois school district superintendents via FAX September 14, 2001. The 21 questions were designed to elicit the perceptions of superintendents regarding collective bargaining relationships and practices and needs for school board training in their districts.

From the 868 school districts receiving the FAX survey, 511 responses, spread evenly across the state, were received within two weeks. Some of the results:

• 499 districts (98.2 %) reported their teachers are organized for collective bargaining with the school board.
• A board member serves as the chief spokesperson for the board bargaining team in 46 % of the reporting districts, or a negotiations consultant (31.6 %) or district superintendent (18.3 %) does the job.
• Fully 81.8% of teacher union contracts are for three years or more.
• A small majority of districts reported using "traditional" bargaining processes (52.8%). An additional 12.4 % reported using a variation called "expedited bargaining" to speed up the process.
• Most other districts (34 %) said they use "win-win" or some other collaborative approach to teacher negotiations.
• About one in ten districts appear to have tried and abandoned a collaborative approach to teacher negotiations.
• More than one-third of the reporting districts said some form of collaborative bargaining will be used for negotiating the next teacher union contract (14.7%) or is being considered (21%).
• Most recent teacher contract negotiations were settled without mediation (81.8%) and both school board and teachers were satisfied with current bargaining practices (81.6 %).
• It appears that a majority of board members and administrators serving on the school board bargaining team have received some training for the task. Much of that training has been by attending panel sessions at the Joint Annual Conference or Division Meetings, although large numbers reported attendance at IASB/IASA workshops (33.5 %) or workshops sponsored by law firms (27.8 %).

A summary of the analyzed results may be downloaded in rich text format from the IASB Web site at: http://www.iasb.com/files/barg01_fr.rtf.

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RESEARCH REPORTS

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No single magic bullet exists to produce excellence in education, according to Robert Marzano. But by doing "a bunch of things" better than we’re doing now and voluntarily putting on pressure to do better in the home, what is now an "adequate" educational system can move toward excellence.

Marzano, an internationally known trainer and author on educational standards, delivered the keynote address at ISBN’s 24th Annual Superintendents Conference, September 21 in Springfield.

"Massive results" in improving student learning, he said, can come when parents voluntarily commit to making their home atmosphere more conducive to learning, even with small things like providing a desk, having books around or taking an interest in their child’s work. Research indicates such influences represent a much more significant factor in children’s achievement levels than poverty or parental education, he added.

While standards-based education is going strong, Marzano said, teaching the entire content of 255 learning standards in 14 subject areas with 3,500 benchmarks would require 6,500 more hours of instructional time than what students now spend over the course of their school career. In those terms, "the standards movement might not last long."

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Children of new parents having trouble adjusting to family life may be more than twice as likely to have asthma by the time they reach school, according to one new study. In explaining their findings, researchers theorized household stress could be affecting asthmatic children’s immune system. Source: Pediatrics, October 2001; 108.

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DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL LAW

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Schools across the country have sponsored "moments of silence" to allow students and staff to reflect upon our nation’s recent tragedy. If properly constructed, school-sponsored "moments of silence" are distinguishable from constitutionally prohibited school-sponsored prayer.

The First Amendment provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The U.S. Supreme Court has articulated a test to guide courts in determining Establishment Clause violations: 1) A law or policy must have a secular purpose; 2) its principal or primary effect must neither advance nor inhibit religion; and 3) it must not foster an excess of governmental entitlement with religion.1 School-sponsored prayer fails the first prong of this test; its sole purpose is to encourage school-led religious activity. Having a secular purpose is the key to the constitutionality of a school-sponsored "moment of silence."

In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court found unconstitutional an Alabama law authorizing a period of silence "for meditation or voluntary prayer."2 The law violated the Establishment Clause because it was passed in an effort to return voluntary prayer to Alabama schools. The Court observed that the law "was not motivated by any clearly secular purpose — indeed, the statute had no secular purpose." However, several Justices noted that a "moment of silence" law is not inherently religious. Thus, the Court left open the possibility that a state-sponsored "moment of silence" is permissible, provided it is adopted with a secular purpose.

This past summer, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Virginia law requiring every school district to provide a "minute of silence."3 The statute states, "each pupil may, in the exercise of his or her individual choice, meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity which does not interfere with, distract, or impede other pupils in the like exercise of individual choice."

Here, there was ample evidence that the law was enacted with a secular purpose. The legislative history indicated that the law’s purpose was to enhance the maintenance of "good order and discipline, creating student focus on the activities at hand and assisting the teachers in beginning the day with a period of calm which would lead to better discipline in the classroom." The Governor stated that the legislation would, "restore a sense of calm and civility in public schools by offering students a peaceful minute each day to reflect upon their studies, to collect their thoughts, or, if they so choose, to bow their heads and pray." A Virginia Department of Education memo stated, "the legislation reflects the view that [Virginia’s] young, and society as a whole, would be well served if students were afforded a moment of quiet reflection at the beginning of each day." The same memo warned against permitting or tolerating, "any coercion or overbearing by some students to force others to engage in or refrain from prayer or any permitted activity. This time is not intended to be and shall not be construed as a religious service or exercise."

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals observed that even though the law has a religious purpose, it may still be constitutional if it has any clear secular purpose. Here, the "moment of silence" law had such a purpose. The allowance of both religious and nonreligious activity does not necessitate a finding of unconstitutionality.

Illinois school officials who find the rationale for Virginia’s "moment of silence" law compelling may consider a school policy or rule patterned on the Virginia law. The only applicable State law is the "Silent Reflection Act."4 This law states:

In each public school classroom the teacher in charge may observe a brief period of silence with the participation of all the pupils therein assembled at the opening of every school day. This period shall not be conducted as a religious exercise but shall be an opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day.

Classroom teachers are thus authorized to observe a "period of silence." Of course, by implication, the law would allow a classroom teacher to refuse to observe a "period of silence." Thus, it would be prudent for a school policy or rule to be directed to the principal.

1 Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971).
2 Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985).
3 Brown v. Gilmore, CA-00-1044-A (4th Cir., July 24, 2001).
4 105 ILCS 20/0.01 and 1.

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THE NATIONAL SCENE

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Roughly a million U.S. schoolchildren ages 12 to 17 may be using performance-enhancing drugs or supplements, a new survey indicates. What’s more, 20 percent of kids ages 10 to 17 reportedly know someone who has taken substances aimed at improving athletic performance, building muscle or looking better.

The telephone survey, conducted among 785 randomly selected youth ages 10 to 17 and 1,002 adults, was commissioned by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a group of health insurers.

Creatine was the drug mentioned most often, with 57 percent of the respondents saying they knew a youngster who has taken it, followed by steroids, with 31 percent citing its use by an acquaintance. Creatine is available as an over-the-counter supplement, and has been added to some food products, including "Cookies n’ Creatine," a sports energy bar.

"We think the supplements industry should not be allowed to market products to children under 18," said Iris Shaffer, executive director of the Healthy Competition Foundation.

Source: Reuters, August 28, 2001.

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JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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This year’s Joint Annual Conference will feature the first-ever "Carousel of Panels," offering a new way to attend panels, Saturday, November 17, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. In one large room—Sheraton 5, Ballroom Level IV—22 different panel presentations will be made at one time and repeated twice.

Over the two-hour time period, Carousel participants will get to choose three different panel presentations to immerse themselves in for 30 minutes each. The scheduled topics:

• Argenta-Oreana Mentoring Facilitators
• Stepping into Character Education—Ball-Chatham School District’s Story
• Bring Back the Art, Bring on the Fun!
• Ask a Policy Consultant [with IASB’s Sharon Studinger Kennedy]
• "Smart" Financing for Energy Efficiency
• New Teacher Induction: A Win-Win Situation for All
• An Investigation and Implementation Process for Block Scheduling
• CLIP (Computer Laptop Incentive Program) A Program to Promote Teacher Technology Training
• Teacher Re-Cert Does Not Have to Hurt
• Emergency Response Planning
• A Programmatic Approach to School Violence Prevention
• Training Students to be Ambassadors for Character
• Mentoring in Minooka
• More Solutions … Less Philosophy [Services to At Risk Students]
• Teaching Hands-On Science in an Environmental Habitat
• A Partnership to Improve Math Skills Using Technology
• Fostering Intergovernmental Understanding
• Fingerprinting of All School Applicants—One District’s Story
• Building Teacher Capacity Through Collaborative Relationships
• Developing a New Teacher Mentoring Program
• 21st Century Technology in a Rural District
• Bullying, Suspensions, Expulsions—How to Have a Safe School.

Imagine attending a single workshop to learn all you need to know about the school leadership topic that most interests you. That dream can be achieved November 16 at the Conference, provided you are registered to attend.

Seven different workshops are offered, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, November 16. Some workshops will be presented at the Hyatt Regency, others at the Fairmont Hotel. Continental breakfast will be available at either location, beginning at 8 a.m.

A brochure containing a registration form was mailed to all board members and superintendents in September. The workshop fee is $150 per person per workshop and includes continental breakfast, luncheon and workshop materials.

Workshops offered:

Gold Room, 2nd Level, Fairmont Hotel
The Basics of School Governance for New Board Members

Moulin Rouge, Lobby Level, Fairmont Hotel
The Basics of School Law and Finance for New Board Members

Regent Room, 3rd Level, Fairmont Hotel
Workshop for Board Presidents

Regency B, Ballroom Level, Hyatt West Tower
The High Performing Board—Governance Beyond the Basics

Regency A, Ballroom Level, Hyatt West Tower
Win at the Polls

Regency D, Ballroom Level, Hyatt West Tower
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator— A Tool for Board Excellence

Regency C, Ballroom Level, Hyatt West Tower
"Can We Talk?" And Other Relevant Questions in the Public Engagement Process

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NEWS HEADLINES

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District superintendents’ salaries are soaring, both in Illinois and nationwide, according to a new ISBN report. Sixteen local superintendents in the Chicago area received more than $200,000 last year. One now-retired school chief received more than $320,000, counting retirement incentives, compensation for unused vacation days, and retirement fund contributions. Not surprisingly considering the shortage of well-qualified candidates, the trend is definitely toward higher pay. Thus, according to the Chicago Tribune, "though school superintendents are paid significantly less than their CEO-like counterparts in the private sector, they have seen their salaries inch up markedly in the last few years, jumping by 6.4 percent between the 1999 and 2000 school year." The average earnings of the 852 superintendents in Illinois last year were $108,000. (October 3, Chicago Tribune) … Schools seldom report students abusing or selling Ritalin, a U.S. General Accounting Office survey has found. Nor do schools report substantial abuse or sales of similar drugs prescribed to treat attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity. That finding follows recent studies showing Ritalin’s use has exploded since 1990. (Sept. 14, The Associated Press)

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IASB ARCHIVES HOME

Illinois Association of School Boards

2921 Baker Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62703