Lawmakers recognize that changes are long overdue for Ohio's current school and district report cards. While work occurs on a report card system to better reflect the important work of schools across the state, House Bill (HB) 200 looks to tackle some of the issues with the current report card structure. We are thankful that HB 200 will make the report more palatable for districts and will…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
Last week I had the opportunity to hear Ohio Teacher of the Year, Anthony Coy-Gonzalez speak. He was outstanding. His presentation was about our dreams and our quest for better systems for all of our students. Coy-Gonzalez encouraged the audience to look back to the dreams we once had, or still hold - for ourselves and for our students. He said, "The needs of our students are clear. Our dreams and the work of fulfilling them will be the agents of change for the future of…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
The school board and superintendent who trust each other to fulfill their respective roles and functions, and work well together in continuous improvement, lead districts that enjoy higher levels of SA. The work of continuous improvement cannot be done by the board or superintendent alone. It is the strength of the board and superintendent alliance that ultimately defines the success of the district. Where this gets tricky is the alliance - what does it really look like? OSBA consultants are often asked that question.
In terms of accountability and monitoring progress…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
Suicide prevention and intervention resources
From the Ohio Department of Education:
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Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
The events at the United States Capitol have created anxiety for many Americans, not the least of which are our children. Our teachers are now tasked with the notion of how to respond to students about the events that occurred.
As with many other complex issues, teachers and students are…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
The Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy (Ohio State University) recently posted the following: “Kindergarten enrollment in American schools has plummeted during the pandemic, potentially setting back educational and social development for children at a critical age and impacting public school budgets for years to come. Most states don’t require kindergarten attendance. As a result, the drop in enrollment at that age has been steeper than at other levels — down 14 percent in Arizona, for example, compared to 5 percent across all grades. Parents…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
Re: House to Vote on the Fair School Funding Plan Tomorrow; Encourage your Representative to vote “YES”
Today, the House Finance Committee unanimously voted to pass Substitute House Bill (Sub. HB) 305 and report it to the Rules and Reference Committee, which placed the bill on tomorrow’s calendar for a full vote of the…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
December is here and with it the holiday season. I don't need to talk about how it's going to be different. Our days are uncertain, and that is going to be our certainty for a while. Let's move forward.
I read an interesting article about traditions. The term tradition means to transmit customs or beliefs from one generation to another. Prevalent in our school districts, classrooms, places of worship, and families, these events or activities are beneficial because they build positive anticipation for those who participate. Social scientists believe traditions reinforce values,…
Posted by Kim Miller-Smith on
The Ohio Department of Education …