Good wonderful evening everyone; it is days like today that make you really like living in South Dakota. Plenty of sunshine, nice temperatures, and light breezes; combine that with harvest season, leaves changing colors and seeing your breath in the morning--now that is what I call a fantastic day. Those are the types of days that get people to move to South Dakota. I hope everyone got to enjoy it in some way or another. Tomorrow promises to be different and so does Thursday and so on and so on for the days to follow; as we all know; SD Weather never stays the same for too long.
One thing that has been consistent over the last several years in SD has been funding for public education and the decreasing teacher pool. Thursday (October 1st) will bring those things back into the public's attention as the famed "Blue Ribbon Task Force" meets (for what might be the final time) in Pierre to discuss a number of different issues. Two items on the agenda that will garner major attention will be the school funding model and school revenue sources. Being an educator my opinion is clearly bias; being a South Dakotan my opinion only represents one vote; being a parent of school age children my opinion only becomes more bias but I have an opinion that I want to share, even if it only allows me to vent.
My opinion is very simple: "Something different needs to be done for public schools in South Dakota". Data indicates we are clearly behind in state funding and that gap will only continue to grow if we remain status quo; fewer and fewer young adults are choosing to become teachers (not that I can blame them). We are becoming a state that seems to value education less every year; our state policy makers are more concerned about saving money (often at the cost of education) than finding ways to increase opportunities for education. Maybe we need to look at education as an investment instead of an expense. It is a well accepted fact that students who complete a high school diploma make more money than those who do not, and making more money means spending more money, which means more money for the state to collect in sales tax. Maybe we should blame the educators in South Dakota; how dare they continue to do more work for the same (or less) pay and still have high achieving students. What are they thinking; no wonder the state policy makers still push to take advantage of them and their merits. There a lot of different places to look to when trying find excuses but let's stay positive and focus on the future.
The state of South Dakota needs approximately $100 million in new money for education just to drew even in regional salaries, that does not count any new increases regional states will add the upcoming fiscal year. That doesn't count any normal increases in other school expenses, it only counts salaries. Those dollars need to be ongoing and sustainable, not one time money that only provide short term relief. In order to make this happen state policy makers need to make conscious and thoughtful decisions about the formula and the revenue sources. To add that large amount a minor fix or small tweak to the current formula and/or revenue will not provide the needed relief. Education needs a forceful effort from all policy makers/decisions makers in Pierre to make that happen. The upcoming legislative season is a prime opportunity to push for those changes.
The Blue Ribbon Task Force will present something after their final meeting; I just hope they are willing to take the huge leap and purpose significant changes to both the formula and revenue options. I then hope the governor, legislators and other policy makers follow suit and push for legislative action during the upcoming session to make those changes real. My biggest worry is what it will "cost" education to get those dollars. Everyone needs to forget about who wins and who loses and focus on what is best for our kids. They need to be the winners.
Good luck to all the BRTF members and don't be afraid to be bold, be decisive and think big. Legislators and government officials don't allow the two months after the BRTF ends to cloud your judgement and draw your attention to other venues. This is something that needs to be dealt with now while it is at the forefront of public attention.
Your in education,
Michael Kroll
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Wow 1st Quarter Mid-term is Friday and by the way it is Homecoming Week
I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed but we will be 1/8 finished with the school year on Friday (1st Quarter Mid-term date); it still amazes me how fast the days go by but with all the activities going on I shouldn't be surprised. Obviously this week is homecoming and we have numerous items keeping us busy; Volleyball last night in Hitchcock, Volleyball tonight versus Ipswich, Coronation on Thursday and Football on Friday. We have so many things going on this week, we have to play football during football (3rd-6th graders will play at halftime of the varsity game). Friday's are so meant for football that even the 1st Graders have a flag football game on Friday; 5:00pm at Manor Park if anyone wants to watch future Monarchs mix it up.
I hope everyone can come out and support our students this week as we go through the homecoming festivities; large crowds are always appreciated. If you have any interest in entering a float in the homecoming parade, please contact Pam Lane or myself at the school and we will get you on the list of entries. We are always looking for entries, so the more the merrier.
Happy Homecoming Week; Good luck to all of our Monarchs; thanks to all our supporters, we appreciate everyone's encouragement throughout the seasons.
I hope everyone can come out and support our students this week as we go through the homecoming festivities; large crowds are always appreciated. If you have any interest in entering a float in the homecoming parade, please contact Pam Lane or myself at the school and we will get you on the list of entries. We are always looking for entries, so the more the merrier.
Happy Homecoming Week; Good luck to all of our Monarchs; thanks to all our supporters, we appreciate everyone's encouragement throughout the seasons.
Monday, August 24, 2015
School has Begun
As I am sure all of you have noticed, but school started here at WHS last Wednesday. The day snuck up on me so quickly that I wasn't able to publish a new blog entry until 3 school days later. (I am not entirely sure how to explain my 3 week hiatus prior to school starting.) The summer ended very abruptly and before I realized it school was in full swing. Thankfully the staff and school personnel pay better attention to the calendar then I do and everyone was more than ready when the student body arrived last Wednesday morning.
We are off to a good start and this week will provide an additional mental and physical test for all our students as they get settled in to the regular school routine. For parents of younger students, this may have been clearly apparent last week; sitting in class and focusing on academics for an extended period of time can be fatiguing on the brain, body and emotions. It is probably not be as apparent for the older students but it may manifest itself over the next week or so as everyone gets themselves reconditioned to the school atmosphere. Trust me, it too will pass and everyone will get acclimated to school life soon enough.
We do have some new faces in the building this year, so don't be alarmed if your child mentions the name: Mr. Johnson (new JK-8 Principal) or Ms. Eisenbeisz (Elementary Aide) or Ms. Waddle (Elementary Music/Art/Aide) or Mr. Roso (JK-5 PE) or Mrs. Ryckman (Elementary Aide) or Mrs. Hoglund (MS/HS Science). We are excited to have all of these new people in the building helping us engage the students and enhance learning in all areas.
Transportation Director's PSA: Buses arrive between 8:00am and 8:05 so be on the lookout for them in town, also remember to pay attention for flashing lights, students boarding and getting dropped off at home. Everyone please respect the rules of the road and stop for buses; we would all hate for a senseless accident to occur. Bus routes are up and running but may take some fine tuning on times as we get settled in to our slightly altered routes. Please have kids ready to get picked up 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled time so no one has to wait.
I hope everyone has a good start to the year; I know I am happy to see everyone back in the building for another great year.
We are off to a good start and this week will provide an additional mental and physical test for all our students as they get settled in to the regular school routine. For parents of younger students, this may have been clearly apparent last week; sitting in class and focusing on academics for an extended period of time can be fatiguing on the brain, body and emotions. It is probably not be as apparent for the older students but it may manifest itself over the next week or so as everyone gets themselves reconditioned to the school atmosphere. Trust me, it too will pass and everyone will get acclimated to school life soon enough.
We do have some new faces in the building this year, so don't be alarmed if your child mentions the name: Mr. Johnson (new JK-8 Principal) or Ms. Eisenbeisz (Elementary Aide) or Ms. Waddle (Elementary Music/Art/Aide) or Mr. Roso (JK-5 PE) or Mrs. Ryckman (Elementary Aide) or Mrs. Hoglund (MS/HS Science). We are excited to have all of these new people in the building helping us engage the students and enhance learning in all areas.
Transportation Director's PSA: Buses arrive between 8:00am and 8:05 so be on the lookout for them in town, also remember to pay attention for flashing lights, students boarding and getting dropped off at home. Everyone please respect the rules of the road and stop for buses; we would all hate for a senseless accident to occur. Bus routes are up and running but may take some fine tuning on times as we get settled in to our slightly altered routes. Please have kids ready to get picked up 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled time so no one has to wait.
I hope everyone has a good start to the year; I know I am happy to see everyone back in the building for another great year.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Thank You and Playground
A couple of quick notes for today's version:
1) Thanks to Brad Oye for his 4 years of service to the Warner School District as a Board of Education member. Serving on any public board is generally a very thankless position and education boards are no different; you tend to hear only complaints and few compliments, even when you do something for the greater community good. School Boards are typically an undesirable office and often garner little interest from candidates or voters but those who are willing provide a significant service to the communities they serve. They ensure a quality education for all attendees while maintaining fiscal responsibility to the local taxpayers while under duress from lack of financial or political support from state offices. Brad provided a certain levity to our board and an open mind to what new possibilities were available for Warner students.
Thanks again Brad for your commitment to the Warner School District
2) Playground Remodel Project--Step 1: Extraction of Old Equipment
Saturday, July 18th at 9:00am, we will begin the playground remodel by removing the "Twin Tower Slide" and "Two Person" Swing set immediately north of the slide to make room for the new pieces. If you are able to help, bring some tools for dismantling, gloves and willingness to take part; we are going to preserve the pieces the best we can for possible resale.
1) Thanks to Brad Oye for his 4 years of service to the Warner School District as a Board of Education member. Serving on any public board is generally a very thankless position and education boards are no different; you tend to hear only complaints and few compliments, even when you do something for the greater community good. School Boards are typically an undesirable office and often garner little interest from candidates or voters but those who are willing provide a significant service to the communities they serve. They ensure a quality education for all attendees while maintaining fiscal responsibility to the local taxpayers while under duress from lack of financial or political support from state offices. Brad provided a certain levity to our board and an open mind to what new possibilities were available for Warner students.
Thanks again Brad for your commitment to the Warner School District
2) Playground Remodel Project--Step 1: Extraction of Old Equipment
Saturday, July 18th at 9:00am, we will begin the playground remodel by removing the "Twin Tower Slide" and "Two Person" Swing set immediately north of the slide to make room for the new pieces. If you are able to help, bring some tools for dismantling, gloves and willingness to take part; we are going to preserve the pieces the best we can for possible resale.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Year 2
I started working in Warner 366 days ago, I was well aware of the 'leap' I was taking by accepting the new position and was looking forward to the challenge and change. The new responsibilities didn't scare me, the move didn't worry me, neither did the new co-workers; the scary part revolves around the impression you leave on the district.
When I was teaching, the classroom was my central focus, but more important than the room was the students. Was I leaving a good impression on them, was I a positive influence, a strong supporter of their efforts and an individual who challenged them to be more than they thought was possible? I didn't worry much about things outside of the classroom; property taxes or boundary changes or student population; I was aware but not overly concerned. When I accepted my first administrative job as an Athletic Director; my focus changed from the classroom to the sports' facilities; I focused on arenas our students competed in. Doing my best to support students, coaches, and staff with all of their extracurricular passions. I became more aware of taxes as we made facility improvements; I also paid more attention to student populations, as it impacted our classification and competition, but the focus was limited to a certain population. Both environments were great learning experiences and helped shape my views on education. I would like to believe I left a quality impression at both places of employment; I'm not sure how you measure that but when I return to those places people still talk to me (so I'll take that as a good sign).
Rewind 366 days: I was going to make it a learning year, I wasn't worried about making a bunch of changes, I was going to spend more time observing and less time dictating. I was going to see what made things 'tick' around here and as importantly I had to learn to pay attention to the district as a whole. I needed to expand my view and see the whole picture (the whole district and all the patrons). I also needed to understand my actions left more than an impression on students and staff. The year was what I thought/hoped it would be and much more. I was able to collect tons of information about the district and gather a great appreciation for the staff and community. This information will make moving forward easier and hopefully more successful for the district and myself.
So on day 366: I know I still have a lot to learn about the role; I am beginning to comprehend the impact I can have and how it is different than previous positions. I am still making sure I pay attention to the details of the office and properly carrying out the duties of the position. Moving forward, I hope I can make an impression that everyone across the district respects. I know we won't always agree or even understand everyone's point of view but I want patrons to understand I make decisions that are in the best interest of the district as a whole, even if they aren't always the most popular.
I look forward to continually representing the district in the days and months to come, but also plan on doing everything we can to help the students grow and develop into quality adults and continual learners. Life is about learning, learning is about being open to new ideas and how they can impact you as a person. Be open to new ideas, you never know what you will learn.
I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer.
Michael Kroll
Superintendent/9-12 Principal
When I was teaching, the classroom was my central focus, but more important than the room was the students. Was I leaving a good impression on them, was I a positive influence, a strong supporter of their efforts and an individual who challenged them to be more than they thought was possible? I didn't worry much about things outside of the classroom; property taxes or boundary changes or student population; I was aware but not overly concerned. When I accepted my first administrative job as an Athletic Director; my focus changed from the classroom to the sports' facilities; I focused on arenas our students competed in. Doing my best to support students, coaches, and staff with all of their extracurricular passions. I became more aware of taxes as we made facility improvements; I also paid more attention to student populations, as it impacted our classification and competition, but the focus was limited to a certain population. Both environments were great learning experiences and helped shape my views on education. I would like to believe I left a quality impression at both places of employment; I'm not sure how you measure that but when I return to those places people still talk to me (so I'll take that as a good sign).
Rewind 366 days: I was going to make it a learning year, I wasn't worried about making a bunch of changes, I was going to spend more time observing and less time dictating. I was going to see what made things 'tick' around here and as importantly I had to learn to pay attention to the district as a whole. I needed to expand my view and see the whole picture (the whole district and all the patrons). I also needed to understand my actions left more than an impression on students and staff. The year was what I thought/hoped it would be and much more. I was able to collect tons of information about the district and gather a great appreciation for the staff and community. This information will make moving forward easier and hopefully more successful for the district and myself.
So on day 366: I know I still have a lot to learn about the role; I am beginning to comprehend the impact I can have and how it is different than previous positions. I am still making sure I pay attention to the details of the office and properly carrying out the duties of the position. Moving forward, I hope I can make an impression that everyone across the district respects. I know we won't always agree or even understand everyone's point of view but I want patrons to understand I make decisions that are in the best interest of the district as a whole, even if they aren't always the most popular.
I look forward to continually representing the district in the days and months to come, but also plan on doing everything we can to help the students grow and develop into quality adults and continual learners. Life is about learning, learning is about being open to new ideas and how they can impact you as a person. Be open to new ideas, you never know what you will learn.
I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer.
Michael Kroll
Superintendent/9-12 Principal
Monday, June 15, 2015
Elections and Voting
Getting out and Voting at Local Elections:
I must first apologize for not getting many posts put together over the last couple of weeks; not sure if I needed the break or I just got busy with other things. Either way, it has been a couple of weeks since I have visited the blog and I apologize for the delay.
Important business tomorrow at the school:
2015 School Board Election with three people seeking two seats. Incumbents Wade Young and Brad Oye along with Stan Jung are seeking positions on the Warner School Board.
Local elections generally receive little or no media coverage, and most candidates do little, if any, campaigning. These elections are also held at various times of the year and sometimes it is not the most convenient due our busy and nonstop lives. These factors alone make for less information and notoriety about the candidates and topics and thus lower voter turnout which is unfortunate for those people running for open seats.
I'm not writing this to point fingers or blame someone for results that haven't even been counted. I'm hoping to bring some extra attention to the election and increase our turnout.
So please come out and vote tomorrow. Polls are open from 7:00am-7:00pm and are set up in the lunchroom at the school. I hope to see many of you there throughout the day.
Thanks
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Graduation
Graduation signals the completion of a major accomplishment in anyone's life; whether it's Preschool or Kindergarten Graduation, High School or College Graduation. It is a benchmark, a notch on the belt, a guidepost for that individual; over the last 12 days I have witnessed a couple of different graduation ceremonies and they all leave a mark on those present. As someone who works in education, graduation is obviously an important achievement to me, but it is a milestone for anyone and something that should be celebrated.
My two weeks of graduations started with an historic moment for me; I was fortunate enough to land a "job" at Lake Area Technical Institute's Spring Graduation ceremony. We may have had to wait an extra hour but being able to listen to President Obama speak was a once in a lifetime experience. He spoke of the importance of the students who were improving their lives by graduating; he mentioned specific students and what they had planned to make a difference after graduating. He had his own agenda for speaking at LATI or what he called a "Community College" and what he hopes to provide everyone with an opportunity to attend a post secondary school. An admirable and fantastic idea that will hopefully get some traction from the federal level. I also witnessed former students march across that stage and it made me reflect on how far they have grown and how things change for everyone. The moment held more meaning for me seeing them pursuing their goals and improving their chances for life-long success. I wish all of them the best of luck and thanks again to President Obama for speaking to those deserving graduates.
My second significant graduation (WHS Graduation) was also "historic" for me, as it was my first one as Superintendent. We all know Warner prepares kids well for what lays ahead of them. Whether it's college, Vo-tech, or career; the education and experiences the students have obtained here get them ready for life after Warner High School. We also know, each individual will face their own unique and trying challenges as they leap into their next stage in life. Learning from those challenges and making them worthwhile is significant part of growing-up; we need to encourage students to recognize those events for what they are worth and make sure they understand that even failures can be beneficial part of long-term success.
Graduations are milestones for everyone; family, friends, peers all benefit from individuals reaching these accomplishments. Celebrate them, applaud them, cheer them, make sure they know how much it means and how proud you are of them, no matter when it happens. We all have milestones and challenges; they make us who we are and how we respond to them reflects as much about who we are as anything else. We all graduate several times; make sure you take some time to understand the significance of each and every one. And appreciate the challenges we faced along the way and the people who helped us.
To all of you who have graduated over the last month--Congratulations, may you have many more.
To all of you who helped--Congratulations, without you it may not have been possible.
My two weeks of graduations started with an historic moment for me; I was fortunate enough to land a "job" at Lake Area Technical Institute's Spring Graduation ceremony. We may have had to wait an extra hour but being able to listen to President Obama speak was a once in a lifetime experience. He spoke of the importance of the students who were improving their lives by graduating; he mentioned specific students and what they had planned to make a difference after graduating. He had his own agenda for speaking at LATI or what he called a "Community College" and what he hopes to provide everyone with an opportunity to attend a post secondary school. An admirable and fantastic idea that will hopefully get some traction from the federal level. I also witnessed former students march across that stage and it made me reflect on how far they have grown and how things change for everyone. The moment held more meaning for me seeing them pursuing their goals and improving their chances for life-long success. I wish all of them the best of luck and thanks again to President Obama for speaking to those deserving graduates.
My second significant graduation (WHS Graduation) was also "historic" for me, as it was my first one as Superintendent. We all know Warner prepares kids well for what lays ahead of them. Whether it's college, Vo-tech, or career; the education and experiences the students have obtained here get them ready for life after Warner High School. We also know, each individual will face their own unique and trying challenges as they leap into their next stage in life. Learning from those challenges and making them worthwhile is significant part of growing-up; we need to encourage students to recognize those events for what they are worth and make sure they understand that even failures can be beneficial part of long-term success.
Graduations are milestones for everyone; family, friends, peers all benefit from individuals reaching these accomplishments. Celebrate them, applaud them, cheer them, make sure they know how much it means and how proud you are of them, no matter when it happens. We all have milestones and challenges; they make us who we are and how we respond to them reflects as much about who we are as anything else. We all graduate several times; make sure you take some time to understand the significance of each and every one. And appreciate the challenges we faced along the way and the people who helped us.
To all of you who have graduated over the last month--Congratulations, may you have many more.
To all of you who helped--Congratulations, without you it may not have been possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)