PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, is considering efforts to reduce the use of plastic grocery bags.
Similar efforts in other U.S. cities have met with resistance. But some cities, such as Seattle, have banned the bags. Chicago and the state of California have enacted bans that will take effect next year.
The Kansas City Star reports Roeland Park and Garden City, Kansas, both studied the issue but dropped it.
Ben Claypool, chairman of a citizens committee studying the issue in Prairie Village, says the idea is getting a lot of support. The committee is considering an outright ban or fining shoppers who use plastic.
Columbia, Missouri, also is considering an ordinance that would prohibit anyone selling perishable food from providing the bags.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hallmark Cards Inc. has removed blue and silver gift wrap from circulation after a customer complained that she saw a swastika embedded in the design.
The Kansas City, Missouri-based company alerted retailers to the problem Monday after receiving a complaint Sunday night from a Walgreen’s customer in Northridge, California. The disputed wrap was featured in a Hanukkah display but Hallmark spokeswoman Julie Elliott says the gift wrap wasn’t intended for the Jewish holiday.
The Kansas City Star reports the gift wrap was distributed by Walgreen’s, which is no longer selling it.
Elliott said in a news release that Hallmark didn’t intend to offend anyone.
She said it was an oversight that no one at Hallmark noticed that intersecting lines in the paper could be seen as a swastika pattern.
DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling about 470,000 cars and SUVs worldwide to fix a problem that can cause fuel leaks.
In the U.S., the recall covers about 134,000 vehicles with direct fuel injection engines. That includes Nissan’s Juke SUV from the 2012 through 2014 model years, and the Infiniti M56 and QX56 from 2012 and 2013. Also affected are Infiniti QX70 and QX80 SUVs from 2014 and 2015.
Documents posted by U.S. safety regulators say a fuel pressure sensor may not have been tightened properly. That can cause a leak and fire. No fires or injuries have been reported to Nissan.
Other Nissan and Infiniti models are affected in Japan, North America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Latin America, Africa and other markets.
Dealers will tighten the sensors starting in January.
Hyundai is recalling nearly 43,000 luxury cars in the U.S. because the brake lights can fail to illuminate.
The recall covers certain Genesis cars from the 2009 to 2011 model years and the some Equus (ECK-was) vehicles from 2011.
Hyundai documents posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say the agency contacted Hyundai about the problem in October after noticing consumer complaints. There are no reports of crashes or injuries.
Dealers will repair the stop lamp switch circuit for free. Hyundai expects to begin notifying owners early next year.
The affected Genesis cars were made from April 30, 2008, to Nov. 21, 2010. Equus models being recalled were made from July 31, 2010, to Nov. 21, 2010.
ELLIS–By a 3-2 vote, Ellis City Council members voted December 1 against creating an ordinance allowing for annual automatic rate increases of a nominal percentage in utility rates.
The discussion came about after a recent large rate hike had to be implemented when it was discovered Midwest Energy had been under billing the city for its electrical use for several years.
Current utility rates are reviewed annually by the city council.
The complete meeting minutes follow.
ELLIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING Minutes December 1, 2014
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Lyle Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present were Council members Gary Luea, Dave McDaniel, Jolene Niernberger, Terry Redetzke, and John Walz. Also present were Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, Fire Chief Denis Vine, and City Attorney Olavee Raub. Council member Ron Johnson was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PRESENT
Ryan Augustine, Steve Homburg, Brian Spano, and Glen Keller
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Terry Redetzke moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on November 17, 2014 and Bills Ordinance #1962. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
None
SPECIAL ORDER
Fire
Fire Chief Denis Vine reported that all of the fire trucks have passed various inspections and have been serviced. Two firemen are interested in pursuing the KU Fire Instructor I certification. One fireman will be selected to attend the training.
Wastewater: Repair/Maintenance
Brian Spano, Wilson and Company, reviewed the letter received from the Kansas Department of Health & Environment acknowledging receipt of the Preliminary Engineering Report for the Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements. The Schedule of Compliance requires a “status report” be submitted to KDHE by July 1, 2015, with the facility improvements completed by April 1, 2016. The Preliminary Engineering Report requested a completion date of September 1, 2016, but the State would like to keep the April 1, 2016 deadline until the design of the improvements can be completed and reviewed. Mr. Spano will present a contract for the facility design for consideration at the January 5, 2015 meeting. Also at that January meeting, the City will hold the required public hearing for the KDHE revolving loan application.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
General Government: Policy
Council reviewed the latest draft of the City’s Purchasing and Bidding Policy and Procedures. Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman asked if it would be possible to include a provision allowing Council to authorize department heads to purchase routine maintenance items that might exceed the individual purchasing authority stated in the Policy. City Attorney Olavee Raub provided wording authorizing blanket authority for routine maintenance items. Council member John Walz moved to approve the Purchasing and Bidding Policy and Procedures with the addition of a provision for Council to give blanket authority to department heads for routine maintenance items. The motion died for lack of a second. Council member Gary Luea questioned the need for the additional wording when the Policy already had a provision for emergency purchases. Ms. Raub stated that routine maintenance items would not fall under the “emergency purchasing” provision. It was the consensus of Council to add the modification to the Policy and revisit at the next meeting.
Water, Sewer, Sanitation: Accounting/Billing
The Council discussed creating ordinances allowing for annual automatic rate increases of a nominal percentage in hopes to avoid large rate adjustments, as experienced recently. Council members Jolene Niernberger and John Walz stated that any Kansas Rural Water Association seminar they’ve attended stresses the importance of using automatic rate increases. Council member Gary Luea questioned that if the Council needs to review the utility rates every year anyway, then why the need for the ordinance? Council member John Walz moved to revise the existing utility rate ordinances by adding a modification increasing the rates for water, sewer, and sanitation 3% annually unless a resolution is passed determining otherwise. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. Upon a call for discussion, the Council clarified that any additional rate increase would not take effect until January 2016. Mayor Lyle Johnston suggested that the rates be reviewed every year during the budget process. Upon a call for the vote, the motion failed 2-3, with Council members Jolene Niernberger and John Walz voting for the motion, and Council members Gary Luea, Dave McDaniel, and Terry Redetzke voting opposed.
General Government: Financial
City Clerk Amy Burton reported that the only bond issues not in compliance with the Security Exchange Commission’s continuing disclosure requirements are the 2006 Revenue Bonds and the 2006 General Obligation Bonds. The City’s other bond issues are under the $1,000,000 threshold requiring disclosure. Ms. Burton attempted to set up the City on the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s website to begin the disclosure process, but it requires a statement from the City authorizing Ms. Burton to act on the City’s behalf. Council member Gary Luea moved and Council member Dave McDaniel seconded a motion to authorize the Mayor to sign the letter to the MSRB authorizing City Clerk Amy Burton to act on the City’s behalf as the “obligated person” and MSRB Master Account Administrator. The motion carried 5-0.
General Government: Policy
Council member John Walz moved and Council member Terry Redetzke seconded a motion to close the City Clerk’s office and Public Works’ Department at noon on Christmas Eve, with staff taking vacation or personal leave for the afternoon hours, if they choose. The motion carried 5-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Water: Committee
Council member John Walz moved to ratify the Mayor’s appointment of T.J. Lee to the Ellis County Wellhead Protection Committee and the City’s Water Advisory Committee. Council member Terry Redetzke seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.
Personnel: Salary
Council member John Walz moved to approve the 2015 Pay Rates for personnel as presented. Council member Dave McDaniel seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.
Personnel: Policy
City Clerk Amy Burton reviewed proposed modifications to the Personnel Policies and Guidelines. One addition is allowing employees to elect overtime or a reduction in leave hours used if the hours to be paid for that week exceed forty (40) hours. This would only be allowed if an approved Leave Request was submitted at least two weeks prior to the week in which the overtime occurred. The other major addition is allowing employees to be paid 1% for each year of continuous service for any unused medical leave upon termination of employment with the City. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the Personnel Policies and Guidelines as presented with an effective date of January 1, 2015. Council member John Walz seconded the motion. Upon a call for discussion, Council member Gary Luea stated he would not vote for the motion as long as the medical leave payout was included. He believes this encourages employees to come to work ill rather than use their medical leave, thus reducing a future payout. Upon a call for the vote, the motion passed 3-2, with Council members Dave McDaniel, Jolene Niernberger and John Walz voting for the motion, and Council members Gary Luea and Terry Redetzke opposed.
General Government: Financial
City Clerk Amy Burton presented Council with a list of bad debts to be written off. One account paid their balance due after distribution of the bad debt list; therefore, the revised total to be written off is $9,265.54. This amount represents less than 1% of the City’s 2014 receivables. Writing off the bad debts is an annual accounting procedure and in no way affects the City’s ability to collect these debts. All of the debts listed have already been submitted to the State Setoff program and another collection agency. Prior to the Council meeting, Council member Terry Redetzke reviewed the individual names of the accounts to be written off, per auditor recommendation. Council member Dave McDaniel moved and Council member Terry Redetzke seconded a motion to approve the write off of the utility bad debts in the amount of $9,265.54. Motion carried 5-0.
General Government: Policy – Utility Services
Council reviewed a draft of the updated Utility Services Policy. Ms. Burton stated that the wording has been revised allowing customers to make a request of the City Clerk for a billing adjustment for a water leak, rather than appear before the Council. One modification to the policy was requested – that in the case of a large water leak or billing error, if the customer would like more than six months to make payments on the utility bill, the customer is able to make a request to the Council for an extension of time. Council member Terry Redetzke moved to approve the Utility Services Policy with the modification of allowing customers to appear before the Council for a payment extension in excess of six months. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.
Police: Accounting/Billing
Police Chief Taft Yates requested permission for the City to reimburse the Overbrook Police Department for Officer Kirby Wechsler’s recent psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation is required by the Ellis Police Department and Chief Yates has already received the results from the evaluation. Council member Dave McDaniel moved to approve payment of $175 to the Overbrook Police Department for Officer Wechsler’s psychiatric evaluation with funds to come from the Police Department. Council member John Walz seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the Comparative Water Report for the period September 10th through October 10th and the latest water well depth levels.
Personnel: Entry
Mr. Scheuerman has received two applications for the two open positions in the Department and has conducted interviews of the applicants. He would like to hire one of the applicants at this time. Council member John Walz moved to approve the hiring of Harold Witthuhn Jr. for the General Public Works Employee IA position at a starting probationary wage of $11.24 effective December 8, 2014. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.
Personnel: Exit
Mr. Scheuerman continued by stating that Caleb Lewis has submitted his letter of resignation and his last day will be December 5th. Even with Mr. Witthuhn’s hiring, the Department will be back to two employees short.
General Government: Disposal
Mr. Scheuerman reported that the old HVAC units taken off of the Municipal Building have been in storage at the Old Power Plant. He inquired if the City wanted to sell the units or leave the units in storage. Council member Dave McDaniel asked Mr. Scheuerman to check with the Ellis Railroad Museum to see if the units might be able to be used there.
Water: Repair/Maintenance
Layne has not been here yet to look at Well #12. The Public Works Department has replaced a faulty valve which may have caused some back pressure and caused the pump not to work properly. Mr. Scheuerman would like to exercise the valves as part of normal well maintenance but with reduced manpower it hasn’t been possible. Even with the valve replaced the well is only producing 15 gallons per minute.
Special Highway: Repair/Maintenance
Mr. Scheuerman asked for approval to purchase asphalt for minor street repairs. Council member Gary Luea moved to approve the purchase of two tandem loads of asphalt at a cost not to exceed $5,000 with funds to come from the Special Highway fund. Council member Terry Redetzke seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.
Parks: Acquisition
Mr. Scheuerman reported that the Department has replaced a portion of the lights in Memorial Park with more efficient LED bulbs, and have also added some wintertime balloon features to appeal to the younger residents.
Water Exploration: Special Project
Brad Vincent, Ground Water Associates, has reported that the applicant with first rights to Section 36 in Trego County has filed an irrigation permit; therefore, Section 25 is no longer available to drill a test hole, as it is within the 2-mile perimeter of Section 36. The City will need to proceed with drilling a test hole by Ogallah. The City has sixty days from November 10th to proceed with the Ogallah site. Mr. Scheuerman has reported he has still been in contact with Mr. Symns as well. Council member Terry Redetzke moved and Council member Dave McDaniel seconded a motion to proceed with the test drill site as proposed. The motion carried 5-0.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Report of Activity for November and the December staff calendar. Several minor incidences should be added to the Activity Report since the report only presents cases through November 23rd due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Department will conduct their semi-annual physical training test on December 7th.
Personnel: Benefits
Due to shortages in manpower in the Department this year, several officers have not been able to take holiday or personal leave that will be lost at year-end. Chief Yates is requesting a 60-day extension to allow officers more opportunity to try to take the time off. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved and Council member John Walz seconded a motion to give the Police Department a 60-day extension to use their 2014 holiday and personal leave time. The motion carried 5-0.
Police
Council member Dave McDaniel asked about the Ellis Police Department’s use of body cameras in light of the recent media blitz on police cameras. Chief Yates stated the Department has three body cameras that have been in use since April. The content recorded is non-editable and only the Chief can download the videos.
Council member Jolene Niernberger received a call from a concerned citizen that both police vehicles are regularly seen in the Ellis Family Care parking lot. Chief Yates explained that the parking lot is a frequent meeting place during shift change to exchange information on cases ongoing and any special tasks that need to be completed during the upcoming shift. Ms. Niernberger also inquired of the Ellis police vehicles being seen in other communities. Chief Yates explained that anytime the Department takes an offender into custody, the City must transport that individual to the jail, the hospital, etc. The vehicles might also be used to attend training in another town.
City Clerk
General Government: Policy
City Clerk Amy Burton discussed the current meal policy as outlined in the Personnel Policies and Guidelines. The policy states that meals for employees will be reimbursed, but does not include spouse’s meals during training sessions. Council directed Ms. Burton to send a memo to all Departments reminding them of this policy.
Industrial Development: Committee
In response to Ryan Augustine’s request for the City to pay one-half of the Ellis Chamber’s dues payment to the Ellis County Coalition, Ms. Burton had the Accounts Payable Clerk contact Aaron White with the Coalition for clarification, as the City had not paid dues for 2014 as well. Mr. White stated the Coalition actually does not charge annual dues for entities to be a member of the Coalition. Membership is made through contributions and pledges of what each entity can afford. Therefore, the Chamber may still be a member of the Coalition, even with the reduced payment. The Coalition has not made budget requests of the Council for the last two years; therefore, there are no payments budgeted for 2014 or 2015. Mr. White will plan to make a budget request for the 2016 budget.
Campground: Special Project
Ms. Burton reported the surveys completed by campground visitors throughout the year have been compiled for review. One recurring comment was the need for speed bumps through the campground as local traffic continually speeds through the area. The comments were also very complimentary of the police force. Many visitors requested a payment drop box, which the City will implement January 1.
General Government: Special Project
Included for Council review are the results from the City Resident Satisfaction Survey distributed to residents this summer.
General Government: Financial/Grants
Ms. Burton reported that second requests have been mailed to those residents that have not completed their LMI survey. The return of the surveys is critical for the City to be eligible to receive a Community Development Block Grant.
Steve Hansen with Northwest Kansas Planning & Development will attend the December 15th Council meeting to present a resolution for the Kansas Department of Health & Environment revolving loan application. The City will hold the required Public Hearing for the loan application at the January 5th meeting. The loan will provide low-interest funding for the City’s required wastewater treatment plan improvements.
The annual rabies clinic will be held January 24, 2015.
Water
The City has received a letter from the Kansas Department of Agriculture authorizing the City to regulate private domestic wells through December 31, 2015. The City must annually request this authorization.
Attorney
City Attorney Olavee Raub reported that the Ellis Review and Luke Karlin have come to an agreement on the property located at 1018 Washington. Mr. Karlin now owns the entire building and the Ellis Review has been released from liability for any code violations.
Mayor/Council
Council member Dave McDaniel plans to present some drawings for the proposed parking lot at 9th and Jefferson.
Council member Gary Luea plans to meet with the Division of Water Resources in Stockton this week to secure additional property for test hole drillers. Mr. Scheuerman requested to accompany Mr. Luea.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
Mayor Lyle Johnston called for an executive session to discuss property acquisition. A 5-minute executive session was proposed starting at 10:17 p.m. Mayor Johnston asked for a motion to recess. Council member John Walz moved to recess to executive session to discuss property acquisition with the City Attorney and Public Works Director present. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0. The Council returned to open session at 10:22 p.m. No action was taken in executive session.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Terry Redetzke moved and Council member Dave McDaniel seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:26 p.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama wants top management prospects in the federal bureaucracy to develop a more diverse set of skills as the upper ranks of the federal workforce retire in greater numbers.
He also is aiming to improve the quality of government service in the face of user satisfaction rankings that place the federal government below the private sector.
In a series of executive actions Tuesday, Obama is launching a leadership program for future government career executives with a goal of breaking out of a tradition of promoting senior bureaucrats from within their own agencies.
The administration is also creating a program of customer service awards to reward excellence by individual federal employees.
CHANUTE, Kan. (AP) — The staff of the Kansas Corporation Commission is recommending approval of Chanute’s plans to provide ultra-high fast broadband internet to its residents.
The Wichita Eagle reports the three members of the KCC will make the final decision but staff recommendations usually are highly influential.
Chanute officials want to extend internet service that would be 14 times faster and 60 percent cheaper than any Internet service city residents currently can receive.
KCC staff who studied Chanute’s plan says it would not duplicate existing broadband service and it is appropriate for the city to provide Internet service to its residents.
AT&T, which provides service to Chanute, has asked to intervene in the case. But a company official said Monday the company had not taken a position on Chanute’s plan.
Asst. Superintendent for Special Services Mark Hauptman studies a draft of proposed building improvements presented by HTK Architects at Monday’s BOE work session.
By KARI BLURTON Hays Post
Representatives from Topeka-based HTK Architects presented rough drafts visualizing what each school in Hays would look like if all recommendations from the district’s Facility Needs Committee are approved.
Following a two-year study, the committee recommended short- and long-term infrastructure changes to improve safety and space issues throughout the district.
The building improvements are proposed to be paid for with a $100 million bond, with an election tentatively scheduled for November.
At Monday’s board work session at Roosevelt Elementary School, architects Zach Snethan and Chuck Smith asked the board to look over the drafts and get back with them with any suggestions or changes.
If the drafts are approved by the board, HTK Architects will finalize the drawings and suggested the board print large posters to display at every building so the public can visualize the changes and better understand why the recommendations were made.
Superintendent Dean Katt said once final decisions have been made, the pictures will also be displayed on the district’s website.
Snethen said some of the bigger expansions, such as the 14 additional classrooms at Roosevelt Elementary, would be best represented by 3-D models.
Click HERE for more on the Facility Needs Committee building recommendations.
Up against the mountains on the eastern edge of the Pacific coast resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, lies the impoverished suburb Colonia Volcanes. One of Megan Shelton’s two teaching jobs is there.
The other one is in a Puerto Vallarta private school, where she teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English language arts.
“And I much prefer the attitudes of the kids at Volcanes,” she said. “It’s a day and night difference.”
A class of fourth-graders in Puerto Vallarta. Photo by Efren Alfaro
In Volcanes, she is the English coordinator for the Volcanes Community Education Project (VCEP), which started as a feeding program for the children of Volcanes’ public school — “hungry kids can’t learn” — and evolved into an after-school program for Volcanes children. For VCEP, she teaches English for fifth- and sixth-grade students and also teaches English for “secondary” students, which, in Mexico, is after sixth grade.
Shelton was speaking in an interview while in Hays in November to help promote the project through presentations to various groups and coordinate with two Fort Hays State University classes that are collaborating on a crowdfunding campaign for the project, Envision Volcanes, Mexico.
The campaign was created by a Writing for Public Relations class taught by Dr. Hsin-Yen Yang (pronounced sheen-yen-yahng), assistant professor of communication studies at FHSU. They were supported by a Diverse Learners class taught by Dr. Lorie Cook-Benjamin, assistant professor of teacher education. Her class researched the information used for the crowdfunding campaign, which officially kicked off on Nov. 24. The goal is to raise $15,000 by spring.
VCEP, said Shelton, is an entirely volunteer-funded project.
“In Mexico, children are required to go to school through high school. Public elementary schools are funded by the government, but after sixth grade families have to pay a portion, which is more than many poor families can afford,” she said. Forced to choose between education and work, many families have to choose work.
The feeding program for the Volcanes school began in 2007. By 2011, a new public school building had been built next to the old four-room building, which was abandoned. That was the year that FHSU’s involvement began, through Dr. Ron Fahey, then chair of the Department of Advanced Education Programs. Cook-Benjamin was also one of that first group.
“Lorie has been one of the biggest and most consistent supporters of the program,” said Shelton, adding, “and she served as a mentor for me when I was an adjunct professor.”
That first year, faculty members from FHSU, with local parents and the colonia council, cleaned and painted the old building, installed electricity and lighting, and the after-school program began. The university’s contingent of volunteers also brought in flat-screen TVs for two classrooms, which now have Internet access and the students can play online games in English, all to supplement the English course work, said Shelton.
Ten laptops were donated by Isa Mundo Foundation, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, and the school acquired 24 laptops for the computer class in 2012-13. In November 2012, beginning with 2,000 books donated by Fahey, the project opened a community library in one of the school’s four rooms.
Shelton also began teaching there in the fall of 2011, the first full year of the after-school program, teaching English to third- and fourth-graders. She is a native of Austin, Texas, earning a Bachelor of Science in communication with a minor in Spanish from Texas A&M University in 2007. This year, she received a Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in English for speakers of other languages from FHSU.
VCEP also provides teachers, so that students can receive three hours of English instruction each week, and one hour of computer class. Shelton said that $600 a month gets one teacher for the school.
“I stole one of the teachers from the private school where I teach,” said Shelton. That teacher, Claudia Iniguez, is in her first year at Volcanes.
“She now teaches the adult class, the morning junior high class and reading intervention for first- and second-graders who are not yet reading in Spanish,” said Shelton.
Adrian Urrutia Covarrubias is the computer teacher, and Sasha Novell-Solacito teaches grades three and four.
VCEP serves several purposes. First and foremost, it is an endeavor in “growing minds, changing lives,” as the tag line for Envision Volcanes puts it, to lift people out of poverty through education.
It is also an opportunity for students at FHSU to give service and gain experience and understanding in their professions. In this fall’s project, it involves a communication studies class and an elementary education class.
Listening to Shelton, it is clear that for her it is also a labor of love, and her days involve a lot of teaching. She teaches at the private school from 7:15 to 9:20 a.m. Then she drives out to Volcanes, stopping to pick up Iniguez. In Volcanes, Shelton teaches a fifth-grade class from 10 to 11 and a sixth-grade class from 11 to 12.
Lunch is available in a kitchen built by a Canadian Scouts group. “One of the mothers, Doña Irma, cooks,” she said. “It’s all-you-can-eat tortillas for 25 pesos, which is about $2.”
From 1 to 2, she teaches another fifth-grade class. In Mexico’s public schools, students are divided into shifts to avoid overcrowding. The morning shift in the regular classes get their English and computer instruction in the afternoons. Shelton’s afternoon sixth-grade students are from 2 to 3.
Then she teaches an extra hour from 3 to 4 for a junior high class, meaning post-sixth grade, “because so many kids from last year wanted to continue their education.”
“And they’re my favorite,” she said, “because they are junior high kids, and they should hate school and have terrible attitudes, but they don’t. They’re the best kids I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.”
Envision Volcanes, Mexico, the crowdfunding site, is at https://www.gofundme.com/envisionvolcanes.
The campaign email is [email protected]. Envision Volcanes is also on Facebook and on Twitter, @VolcanesProject.
On a UDS 489 Talking Tour prior to Monday’s Board of Education work session, Roosevelt Elementary teacher Patti Park demonstrates the iPads her classroom uses. The iPads were paid for by the school’s Home and School Association this year.
By KARI BLURTON Hays Post
The 100 iPads approved for a trial by the Hays USD 489 Board of Education have been delivered to Hays and will be passed out to selected teachers at each school in Hays this week.
At Monday’s board work session at Roosevelt Elementary School, Technology Director Brian Drennon said members of the district’s technology committee have formed subcommittees at each school in Hays to not only help train the teachers, but measure if the iPads are effective teaching tools.
“The biggest thing is creating the justification, the use, and the three questions we are asking people are what do you want, what do we need, and how much are you going to use it,” Drennon said. “Those are the burning questions for everybody.”
Although Drennon admitted he is “just a tech guy” and not a teacher, he believes tablet technology has significant potential.
“We are looking at transforming our classrooms to be a digital learning experience, whether it is looking at an app for science or making a movie. … That is what we are trying to do, just get the digital environment into the classroom and see how that works,” he said.
Director of Curriculum Shanna Dinkel told board members an evaluation tool used last year could also help measure the iPads success in the classroom.
The evaluation tool, called an E-Walk, is a five-minute walk through a classroom in session. Dinkel said the tool was used last year, and the district scored low in visual and spacial learning — just one of several scores she thinks will climb in classrooms using iPads.
Drennon said teachers who have already adopted the tablet technology are excited about the possibilities.
“It is amazing when you start digging into it, and people are learning the same thing, ‘Wow you can do this,’ ” Drennon said. “For example, for the lower grades, you can put a book on (the iPad screen) and you can have kids in different reading area and you don’t have hold kids back at that point. You can let them keep building and then you have the options for the kids who are having issues or struggling, and it is not affecting the whole class because they have that device in front of them.”
Lake Wobegone is the fictitious place where “all children are above average” in Garrison Keillor’s radio narratives. Educators now speak of the “Lake Wobegone Effect” as a combination of grade inflation and content deflation that drives down the value of a high school diploma or a college degree.
However, that academic erosion is picking up fast. I am fortunate in having a network of K-12 teachers who regularly feed me information on their classroom situation. Many were my student teachers—there are over 250 now—and they rely on me not divulging their identities. While some still can practice as professionals, the news from others is alarming.
John Richard Schrock is a professor at Emporia State University.
One solid science teacher (with a track record of teaching students who succeed in college and often entered science fields) described her situation. She assigns homework and expects students to come prepared for classwork and labs. But one student never did his homework. Her school uses an online grade report system accessible to administrators. When it was evident this student was failing, this student was pulled from class the last week of the semester, put on a programmed learning computer and progressed through the question sets over and over until he had a high score. Thus, an F-student who might not graduate high school became a “good” student ready to go to college!
How widespread is this? Such “end runs” have been happening in a variety of ways across Kansas. -Not all schools nor even a majority of schools. But some are now overriding teachers’ grades. And such practices appear to be growing.
Now switch to our higher education institutions where you would expect that no one would dare lean on faculty to inflate grades or deflate requirements. Unfortunately, public universities across the country now operate under pressure to increase enrollment, retention and graduation. Their budgets are now tuition-driven.
Similar to the K-12 system, every college student is expected to succeed. If this does not happen, it is the now the professor’s fault—NCLB has finally arrived at college. The directive to increase retention and graduation rates comes straight from state capitols across America. A university president’s job depends on growth at all costs. At more than one campus, chairpersons are directed to target courses with higher rates of D-W-F grades—and “do something about it.” To prevent any appearance of violating academic freedom, the caveat is added: “but don’t let standards drop.” For the growing number of adjunct faculty hires, there is no need to mention this. They know that if they give many D/F grades, they will not be hired back.
Adding more tutoring is perhaps a legitimate way to try to improve retention. But universities are now reducing the credit hours required to graduate. Some advise students into easy courses first, holding off rigorous courses until later—a tactic that can cost students another year of school. Others reduce their general education by reducing the more rigorous subjects (usually math and sciences).
Why do administrators feel empowered to coerce teachers into grade inflation and feel that having a school were everyone graduates is now a legitimate goal? Look at our political scene. Our President is calling for a dramatic increase in college graduation rates (tech credentials included). Our Governor raises this goal to 85 percent (military included). That has given legitimacy for some K-18 system administrators to place student “success”-at-any-cost ahead of actual academic performance.
But ACT and SAT scores show that less than one-third of high school seniors are college-ready. That is half the number that our colleges are being ordered to turn out.
When people say that today’s college degree does what yesterday’s high school diploma used to do, they formerly meant access to a good job. That may soon come to mean the amount being learned. And with erosion of the K-12 grading, that high school diploma will mean even less tomorrow.
K-12 teachers and college faculty have a responsibility to our good students to resist pressure to water down the curriculum and drop our grading scales. Good students want a degree that means something. Faculty must fight to preserve the value of diplomas and degrees. A student who excelled in genuine course work should walk across the stage at commencement without being followed by students who receive the same degree but did little to earn it.
Back row: Monkey Hayden Bracken, Dorothy Kira Denny, Wicked Witch Billie Crawshaw, Scarecrow CJ Denny, Bexel Emily Quinn, Hexel Lisa Quinn; Front row: Citizens of Oz Cadence Warfield and Kylah Warfield, Lion Logan Daniels, Glinda the Good Kamryn Daniels, Wizard’s Apprentice Anthony Austin, Tin Man Madison Lisman.
This month, the youth of Hays Christian Church present a theatrical performance titled “Christmas in Oz”.
Since Dorothy left Oz, a new Wicked Witch has taken over, and she and her minions have banned Christmas. Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow have no hope until Glinda tells them she might be able to bring Dorothy back to Oz.
When Dorothy arrives, she finds things are not like they were when she left. It’s up to Dorothy and her friends — both old and new — to defeat the Witch and teach everyone about the true meaning of Christmas.
Performances are Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14 at 10:45 a.m. Refreshments will be served after each performance. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Hays Christian Church is located at 22nd and Marshall Road. For more information, visit hayschristianchurch.org or call (785) 625-3100.
Scarecrow (CJ Denny) and Lion (Logan Daniels) discuss plans while in the Emerald Palace.
