Michigan Burning

In Nolan Finley’s article in the Detroit News today, Mr. Finley accuses the folks involved in the water mess in Flint of doing little but point fingers. While doing a fair amount of finger pointing himself, Mr. Finley is correct that little has been done to actually correct the situation. What Mr. Finley avoids pointing out is that so little is being done in large part due to the current leadership in Lansing in every …

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On yesterday’s race

When it comes to running I have at least learned that I am running my own race.  This took a very long time!  Since last fall I have been in disagreement with one shin and how it should function in a pain free manner.  An MRI shows it’s not shin splints.  The doc blames it on age and years of prior running.  As I do not like that answer, I will work on proving him …

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Technology, schools, and kids

Because students in our district are issued iPads between grades 3-12, we get a lot of questions about electronic devices in school.  While individually issued technology is a new wrinkle in school for parents, for the generation of kids in school expect to live and work in tech rich environments, it is just the way the world is.  Schools vary in their approaches to technology, here is what we have decided to do in our …

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Flint, DPS, and the State of Schools in Michigan

Recent revelations about the Flint water crisis and conditions in Detroit Public School buildings are emblematic of the poor leadership of Governor Snyder and Senate and State Representatives in Lansing. Citizens throughout our state should take notice and offense at the terrible harm to our state’s reputation on the national and international stage. The Flint and Detroit tragedies will not be the end of poor outcomes if Michiganders do not demand more realistic and responsible …

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Communicating with Your Child’s School

Schools are busy places.  Sometimes it can be hard to determine how or with whom to communicate different concerns or questions.  In our electronic culture today it is easy to find phone numbers and email addresses; however, that information alone does not tell a parent which questions to direct where.

What does a school board do?

Public schools in the United States are overseen by school boards.  Most everyone knows this, but very few folks know what school boards do or how they conduct their business.  School boards are mainly responsible for creating school policy, approving the district budget, and hiring and evaluating the district superintendent.  While this list may seem short, it covers a great deal of responsibility.