As we enter the second month of the school year, we already have achieved a great deal.
Clarkston is such a proud, supportive, and service-oriented community. Here are just a few of the reasons that you can celebrate our community’s schools:
? The United States Department of Education selected Pine Knob Elementary School, under the leadership of Mrs. Jodi Yeloushan, as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. PKE is one of only 13 schools in Michigan and 335 in the country to receive this level of distinction this year. PKE is the second Clarkston Community School to receive this honor, with Springfield Plains being the first in 2000.
? Clarkston High School’s Chamber Orchestra, under the leadership of Mrs. Wendy Stuart, was selected by the Michigan Chapter, American String Teachers? Association to perform at their annual conference in January. This is the first time our orchestra has achieved this honor. CHS is one of only three orchestras in the state so designated.
It is clear that the kinds of achievements mentioned above garner headlines, as well they should. Our students, staff, and parents achieve at the highest levels, and these accomplishments are meritorious.
Although you may be less aware of the following accomplishments, they equally represent excellence, and the culture of Clarkston:
? As one of our students recently had an emergency on a school bus, a student sitting nearby noticed and alerted the bus driver and the bus aide, Randi Scriver. The driver, Denise Cox, pulled the bus into a school (not the school that the child attended) and called for help. The principal, Mr. Brian Adams, and secretary, Erin Cameron, of that school came out to help. The driver called our Director of Transportation, Mr. Kevin Bickerstaff. Together, they located emergency medical information on the student and acted accordingly. Their actions and preparedness made a difference that day.
? Our Nutrition Department, under the direction of Mrs. Marla Ernst, feeds thousands of students each day. Many of our students deal with allergies that require them to avoid certain foods. Our Nutrition Department, teachers, students, and administrators do an incredible job of collaborating to keep these students safe.
? Our school district partners with Independence Township and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department to employ police liaisons in our schools. This year, our liaisons are Detective Frank Gavey and Detective Kim Potts. Not only are they in our schools during the day, they also attend games, dances, assemblies, prom, graduation, and many other events. We are grateful to them for their service to our community.
? We have 16 foreign exchange students at Clarkston High School this year. Thank you to the families who host them, the Rotary and Educatius who help bring them here, and to all of our students, families, and staff members who make them feel welcome.
It truly takes a village to raise a child. In the Village of Clarkston and the Townships of Independence and Springfield, our students, staff, and community members partner to achieve at the highest levels. It is truly my honor to be part of such a special place.
It is exciting to begin a new school year. I anxiously await opportunities to connect with kids, families, and community members in pursuit of our district’s mission, to cultivate thinkers, learners, and positive contributors to a global society.
It is my intention to make sure that every person who enters the doors of a Clarkston Community School feels a sense of belonging, challenge, support, and safety. Whether a child, educator, or family member has been in our schools for a few minutes or several years, they belong here, and they can expect excellence from all of us.
I ask that our community parents, students, educators, volunteers, and guests take extra time to truly listen to the voice of every child so that it is known and kids feel believed in. Each child is uniquely different, and individual growth over time is what we seek to document, measure, and communicate. Comparisons between school systems on standardized tests have a place, and the most important thing is the individual child and his or her experience in our schools.
Real learning, as in mental connections made in our brains, requires contemplating or encountering new information. When we review things we already know, our brains do not grow. Thus, making mistakes and experiencing life beyond what is familiar to us are important in growing our brains.
In support of these facts, Harvard University researcher and author, Ron Ritchhart wrote, ‘We learn a lot from making mistakes, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, and taking risks to try new things. Regularly encountering challenges, mistakes, and failure builds a growth mindset and develops intellectual resilience.?
Ritchhart goes on to say, ‘When your child encounters difficulties, don’t jump in to solve the problem and rescue him/her. Instead, ask questions that will help him/her to think through the problem, identify, and choose a course of action for moving forward.?
A response as simple as, ‘What makes you say that?? can do the trick. In so doing, we help build confidence, courage, and neural networks in our children. And, we know that the challenging of the mind does not stop at the end of childhood, it continues through life. So, learning new things is also essential for adults of all ages.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is Superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

It is exciting to begin a new school year. I anxiously await opportunities to connect with kids, families, and community members in pursuit of our district’s mission, to cultivate thinkers, learners, and positive contributors to a global society.
It is my intention to make sure every person who enters the doors of a Clarkston Community School feels a sense of belonging, challenge, support, and safety. Whether a child, educator, or family member has been in our schools for a few minutes or several years, they belong here, and they can expect excellence from all of us.
I ask our community’parents, students, educators, volunteers, guests’takes extra time to truly listen to the voice of every child so that it is known and kids feel believed in.
Each child is uniquely different, and individual growth over time is what we seek to document, measure, and communicate. Comparisons between school systems on standardized tests have a place, and the most important thing is the individual child and his or her experience in our schools.
Real learning, as in mental connections made in our brains, requires contemplating or encountering new information.
When we review things we already know, our brains do not grow. Thus, making mistakes and experiencing life beyond what is familiar to us are important in growing our brains.
In support of these facts, Harvard University researcher and author, Ron Ritchhart wrote, ‘We learn a lot from making mistakes, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, and taking risks to try new things. Regularly encountering challenges, mistakes, and failure builds a growth mindset and develops intellectual resilience.?
It is important we as educators and parents help our students/children encounter ‘productive struggles? (Adam Scher, Way Elementary, Bloomfield Hills) as part of their daily living and learning.
We want students to engage in learning in a range or zone that is challenging for them. We want our children to play, think, read, and converse in areas that stretch their thinking.
Ritchhart goes on to say, ‘When your child encounters difficulties, don’t jump in to solve the problem and rescue him/her. Instead, ask questions that will help him/her to think through the problem, identify, and choose a course of action for moving forward.?
A response as simple as, ‘What makes you say that?? can do the trick.
In so doing, we help build confidence, courage, and neural networks in our children. And, we know challenging of the mind does not stop at the end of childhood, it continues through life. So, learning new things is also essential for adults of all ages.
Thanks for thinking with me.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

As your superintendent, I work each day to fulfill the mission of the Clarkston Community Schools: to cultivate thinkers, learners, and positive contributors to a global society. As I encounter requirements and circumstances that conflict with our mission, I am compelled to call them into question.
With that in mind, I am sharing with you some opinions that I hold relative to the state’s M-STEP assessment, which are my own and not necessarily those of the Clarkston Community Schools.
Upon our return from spring break, the Clarkston Community Schools, along with every other school district in Michigan, began the administration of the state’s M-STEP assessment in our elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools. This online test replaces the paper and pencil MEAP, which the state used for 40 years.
For students, I have three words to share regarding this test: Do your best. That’s all there is to it. There’s no reason to be stressed or to worry about this test. No matter what happens? computers do not work perfectly, you are unfamiliar with the format, or you are unsure of an answer’just do your best. You have worked hard in school. Your teachers have prepared you. You are ready. Do your best. Nothing more is required.
For us as a community of educators, parents, and citizens, I have one word: Why? This test, in my opinion, is not ready for our students. For a variety of reasons, the state rushed through the process, frequently could not answer our questions about the assessment, regularly released new software up until April 3, and often issued new requirements.
In its conception, the test was supposed to be computer adaptive, adjusting according to how students answer questions, and now it is not. The data was supposed to be available to us in a timely manner in order to affect our instruction this school year, and now they are not.
Our principals and teachers have spent countless hours away from their classrooms preparing for a test that is not yet ready for kids. We will spend thousands of dollars in substitute teaching costs to proctor these tests. Our students in computer-related classes and otherwise, for the duration of the school year, will have limited access to technology due to the requirements of the assessments.
Our students who struggle most will lose invaluable support time due to the demands the tests placed upon our teachers. All of our students will miss out on content time due to the length of the tests. Schools and learning will be disrupted.
It is not okay with me that our state is requiring us to disrupt education in order to test our students. The State PTA recently passed an emergency resolution, as petitioned by the Clarkston PTA Council, calling for the cessation of this test; not using its results to limit financial resources; and supporting future tests that include flexible, localized options already in place. I have reached out to Michigan Department of Education and state policy makers to let them know of my concerns. Unfortunately, the Michigan Department of Education has decided to proceed as planned, meaning the test will go forward. Despite this, my hope is MDE will work with us on a different, less disruptive assessment for future years.
I know our students are ready for this test. I am not afraid of tests. I am not opposed to tests. I am opposed to disrupting education to take a test that is not yet ready for kids.
Thank you for allowing me to share my opinion with you.
Dr. Rod Rock is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

Heading into the Body, Mind, Green Community Expo, sponsored by the Clarkston Community Schools, the Clarkston Chamber of Commerce, and McLaren Clarkston, my mind is focused on the whole child.
I am thinking about what it means to be a kid in Clarkston.
As I have contemplated this topic, I have had several conversations with educators and community members.
We have discussed the idea that student achievement is dependent upon much more than the knowledge a child holds in his/her brain. It is a matter of the whole child ‘safety, health, challenge, support, and engagement.
When any element is absent, the child’and indeed any person’is at risk. And since a child’s life extends well beyond the school day, it is the shared responsibility of the school system, families, and the community to educate children.
This is what it means to be a kid in Clarkston.
Harvard University researcher and author, Ron Ritchhart wrote, ‘We learn a lot from making mistakes, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, and taking risks to try new things. Regularly encountering challenges, mistakes, and failure builds a growth mindset and develops intellectual resilience.?
It is important that we as educators and parents help our students/children encounter ‘productive struggles? (Adam Scher) as part of their daily living and learning.
We want our students to engage in learning in a range or zone that is challenging for them. We want our children to play, think, read, and converse in areas that stretch their thinking.
And, play is very important in the lives of our children. In play, and particularly unstructured (e.g., play where children and not adults set the rules) play, children develop essential social skills.
They figure out how to interact with others, learn boundaries, and discover their passions. Absent play, children struggle.
Ritchhart goes on to say, ‘When your child encounters difficulties, don’t jump in to solve the problem and rescue him/her. Instead, ask questions that will help him/her to think through the problem, identify, and choose a course of action for moving forward.?
A response as simple as, ‘What makes you say that?? can do the trick. In so doing, we help build confidence, courage, and neural networks in our children.
And, we know that the challenging of the mind does not stop at the end of childhood, it continues through life. So, learning new things is also essential for adults of all ages.
I look forward to sharing more on these ideas at the Body, Mind, Green Community Expo on March 12 at 6:00 at Clarkston High School and in our new Public Television series, Be a Kid in Clarkston , which is hosted by local therapist, Angela Avery.
Dr. Rod Rock is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

By Dr. Rod Rock
Great things continue to happen in the Clarkston Community Schools. The district is experiencing positive trends in achievement, finance, planning, co-curriculars, and professional development. It is truly a great time to work, live, and learn in Clarkston.
After achieving an all time high in ACT scores at Clarkston High School last year, the district continues to work very hard to improve student achievement in all areas of the curriculum.
We realize fully that student achievement is a prime indicator of a quality education and we expect all of our students to perform at the highest levels. The State of Michigan will soon release our most recent MEAP scores and we look forward to reporting the positive results.
As our district continues to work through funding cuts from the State of Michigan, we anticipate a positive financial forecast, due to the sacrifices made by our employee groups, the fiscal conservatism of our board of education and administration, and the oversight of our finances by all decision makers.
Our priorities remain student learning, class sizes, academic programming, creating the best possible learning and working environments for our employees and students, bringing our technology up to standard, maintaining the community’s resources, and preparing our students for the future.
The administration looks forward to working collaboratively with our board of education to meet these priorities as we move through the budget process over the next few months.
The board of education is in the final stages of completing its five-year strategic plan. Focus areas include student learning, technology, operations, communications, human resources, and finance. The district has hosted a community meeting and sought additional feedback through its Website. We look forward to finalizing this plan and moving forward toward full implementation.
The CHS Drama Club just completed a resoundingly successful presentation of Peter Pan. The performing arts center was full for each performance. The music, choreography, singing, flying, sets and costumes, and special effects were incredible.
Our wrestling, basketball, cheer, swim, dance, hockey, bowling, RUSH Robotics team, Lead classes, and other co-curricular groups continue to perform at the highest levels.
Academic Service Learning and many other community service activities thrive. The Clarkston Foundation recently recognized our students in the areas of arts, science, and mathematics. Our students, staff, and community are the very best.
Ongoing professional learning is the key ingredient in an excellent school system. Clarkston sets the standard, regionally, across the state, and across the nation.
Our literacy, math, and Cultures of Thinking work provide the very best, research-based ongoing learning for our teachers. Our teachers have time to collaborate, which is vital. Our principals serve as instructional leaders, which is their first responsibility, ensuring that every child experiences education according to her/his unique needs and interests.
Clarkston thrives because of our outstanding staff, board of education, leadership, parents, community, and students. We set the highest standards for achievement in academics, finances, human resources, and professional learning.
We will continue to work as hard as we can to meet our ongoing challenges and priorities because our children deserve the very best. Nothing less will do.

As we prepare for the holiday season, there are countless reasons to be thankful. I ask you to please join me in giving thanks to the people of the Clarkston Community Schools our staff, board, volunteers, parents, administrators, and students for these top 12 recent fiscal, service, academic, athletic, and technical accomplishments.
1. The district achieved a balanced budget, through its fiscal conservatism, collaboration with bargaining groups, and reductions in expenditures. We owe a special thanks to our employees who are contributing significantly toward health care, have had freezes in pay for several years, and have experienced pay cuts.
2. Through collaborative processes, the district accomplished more than $1 million in newly generated revenues via innovative partnerships with private and parochial schools.
3. In collaboration with Independence Township, the district established Clarkston Television, bringing enhanced learning opportunities to students and information to the community.
4. Our cocurricular clubs and teams have achieved remarkable success this fall, including the marching band, the football team, the volleyball team, the boys? soccer team, the girls? swimming team, the boys? tennis team, and many others.
5. The district has refunded bonds, saving taxpayers more than $15 million in taxes over the next
22 years.
6. One of our students, Sean McNeil, accomplished National Merit Scholar SemiFinalist designation. That means he was in the top 3% of the approximately 1.5 million American high school students who applied. Lynn Gordon, the media specialist at Andersonville and Independence Elementary Schools, was recognized by the Michigan Association for Media in Education group for making significant contributions to the profession. Kyle Hughes, a teacher at CHS, was appointed to the National FIRST Robotics Board. Teachers Chas Claus (boys? tennis) and Kelly Avenall (volleyball) were both named coaches of the year in Oakland County. Many other CCS educators and students have achieved similar levels of excellence! Congratulations!
7. Juniors at Clarkston High School accomplished the highest ACT composite scores in a seven year period.
8. This year, our Academic Service Learning team will provide countless opportunities for our students and staff to serve the greater good. Over 5,000 CCS students will give to our community, region, state, nation, and world throughout the year. This is truly the spirit of Clarkston!
9. The district implemented readers, writers, and math workshops at the elementary levels.
These processes enhance student? achievement through teacher professional training and student engagement.
10. Just last year, CCS became the first school district in the world to host a Harvard University
Project Zero conference for all teachers in the district. More than 800 educators from six continents attended. Clarkston is now known as a leader, globally, in building a Culture of Thinking.
11. The Board of Education has agreed to purchase a new student information system.
The system is web based and will be available 24/7 at home, in our schools, and on mobile devices. It will allow students, parents and staff to communicate and verify that every one of our students is getting the support they need to succeed.
12. The district served as a national leader in energy efficiency. Nine of our school buildings have received Energy Star certification. Clarkston High School was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of just 78 Green Ribbon Schools, nationwide.
Your school district works very hard every day to cultivate thinkers, learners, and positive contributors in a global society. As evidenced above, the district has achieved sound financial status, even in difficult economic times~ has creatively generated revenues~ has improved its technology information processes~ has expanded service learning~ has enhanced teacher and student achievement~ has produced outstanding accomplishments by individual students, teams, and staff~ and has led the way in energy efficiency. We have much to celebrate this year, thanks to our outstanding staff members, our supportive community, our amazing students, and the dedicated leadership of our administrators and board of education. Together, we make Clarkston one of the best places in the nation to live, work, and learn. CCS is truly blessed!
By Rod Rock, Ed.D., superintendent

Happy spring!
As our students, their families, and our staff enjoy spring break, the Clarkston Community Schools celebrates the accomplishments achieved throughout the year. Here are just a few examples.
Since Clarkston hosted over 800 educators from around the world at our Project Zero Perspective Conference in November, our principals, teachers, students, and central office staff have continued to work together to make students? thinking visible. This involves book studies, professional development sessions with Ron Ritchhart of Harvard, parent nights, and community visits to classrooms. Recently, Pine Knob, Springfield Plains, Sashabaw Middle, and Clarkston High hosted these visits. On April 22 from 12:00 to 2:00, Clarkston Junior High School will host a visit. We hope that you will consider attending to see the great learning that is happening in our schools.
Each of our elementary schools has implemented comprehensive literacy plans to support students? learning. Teachers have engaged in professional development, visited other schools, and looked together at assessment data. We believe that a strong literacy base is essential for every child, and we are working hard to to achieve this.
Last week, the board of education completed the process of refinancing community bonds. These efforts mean a savings of over $15 million for taxpayers. Our partners in this accomplishment included State Representative Eileen Kowall, whom we thank for her assistance.
Our athletes, musicians, mock trial team, Team RUSH, DECA, and many other individuals/groups have achieved league, district, regional, state, and national recognition. Congratulations to our coaches, sponsors, parents, and students for their hard work and achievements.
Under the leadership of Kevin Bickerstaff, CCS’s transportation department safely transports over 5,500 students each day. Recently, Lorri Kaczor, a CCS bus driver, was selected to receive the 2013 Oakland County Excellence in Transportation Award. We congratulate Lorri, and the transportation team, on her receipt of this outstanding achievement.
We also celebrate our parents and community who give so much to our students. From school fairs to concerts and athletic events to spring clean ups; from PTA and PTO service to hosting interns, we wish to thank everyone who contributes to making our school system great.
Our board of education recently achieved the Michigan Association of School Boards? Standard for Excellence and Honor Board Awards. This means that each board member has completed certification training. It takes a great deal of time and commitment to achieve these distinctions.
We are grateful to our board members for their service to the students, staff, and community.
I look forward to many more celebrations throughout the remainder of the school year.
I wish everyone a wonderful spring break. I pray for the safety of each of our students, their families, CCS staff, and our community members.
Dr. Rod Rock is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools.

Vision:
The Clarkston Community Schools possesses a clear and compelling vision of ensuring that every CCS graduate understands him/herself as a thinker, learner, and contributor to a global society.
We believe that we are responsible for creating the conditions for learning in our classrooms and schools. We believe that learning is a product of thinking and that children grow into the intellectual lives that surround them. Toward these, we are working across our district, from preschool through grade 12, on becoming a culture of thinking.
We are focused on making each student’s thinking visible, valuing students? thinking, and actively promoting students? thinking. We believe that content area understanding is only part of what it means to be smart.
The other parts include knowing how to use what you know, persevering, hard work, effectively communicating, collaborating, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and ethics. We believe that assessments of intelligence must include a demonstration of what a child knows, and not just paper and pencil tests. These beliefs include every child in our care.
We are working very hard across our entire system to make the elements of this vision a reality for every child in every classroom in every school.
We feel extremely fortunate, even given the external political and financial forces that we cannot control, to possess a vision for learning for all students. In the coming months and weeks, we will host conversations and classroom visits related to our vision. Please stay attuned as we realize our vision.
Election:
The Clarkston Community Schools wishes to thank all of those who ran for board of education seats. We appreciate the time, money, thoughtfulness, and energy that went into the election.
Congratulations to Craig Hamilton, Sue Boatman, Cheryl McGinnis, and Joan Patterson on receiving seats on the board. We look forward to working together for our children. We also appreciate the efforts of Kelli Horst, Betty Reilly, and Theresa Adriaens, who were not elected. We understand that this was a tremendous undertaking and we are grateful to each of these individuals for their commitment to our schools and children.
Pay Attention:
Even though the election is over, there are pending state and federal policies that could negatively affect the Clarkston Community Schools. These include the parent trigger bill (SB 620), the total elimination (without replacement) of the Personal Property Tax, the establishment of specialized schools (HB 5923), and federal sequestration.
Also, the Oxford Foundation is working to establish new funding processes and open enrollment options for every school in Michigan. It is vitally important that we as citizens are critically informed of these potential legislative actions and that we inform our policy makers as to our opinions.
Please work with me to keep public schools strong, to maintain local control, to ensure that there is an excellent teacher in every classroom in every school, and to hold up our educators rightfully as public servants.
Please check out our district’s website for additional information on Cultures of Thinking, our school board, and pending legislation.
Rod Rook, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love the enthusiasm of the new school year, college and high school sports, The Taste of Clarkston, marching bands, school buses on the roads, and the harvest.
It reminds me that all things are possible through hard work, learning, and collaboration.
As I observe the happenings of our school district, I’m reminded every single day of the positive and powerful effects that public schools have on kids and communities.
I’m reminded that human relationships matter, that public schools are the heartbeats of vibrant communities across Michigan, and that our public schools shape Americans and American values.
One example of this in Clarkston involves an Army recruiter who worked at CHS, was subsequently reassigned to another state, and later deployed overseas.
Clarkston High School stayed connected with this serviceman and the story ended up on the front page of the Army’s Website: www.army.mil/article/87500/Army_ Strong_School_Ties_Soldier_maintains_bond_
with_community_high_school_more_than_
a_decade.
Another example involves a former CCS student, Veronika Scott. This student is making a positive difference for homeless people in Detroit and beyond. She’s creative, entrepreneurial, and full of hope. She’s a reflection of Clarkston’s values. Here’s a link to the story: outfront.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/20/car-parts-line-coats-for-homeless/
Were you able to attend the Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert at Clarkston High School on Sept. 20? Did you attend Homecoming events this past weekend? Clarkston is an awesome school system thanks to the quality of staff, students, parents, and community.
Imagine Clarkston without its schools. How would it affect business and the community?
What if our schools were overseen by for profit charter companies or if your children were presented with a marketplace of educational options that allowed them to attend school in Oxford, Menominee, or Kalamazoo (all in one day)?
Imagine if the money that you contribute toward schooling went with your child to these other schools. How would our community schools survive? Is this good for our kids?
It’s vitally important that you are an informed citizen this fall. The decisions you make on Nov. 6 will dramatically affect our schools.
Please study your options. Please carefully and critically consider how each candidate’s position on educational issues will affect our schools. Please see what the governor is saying and suggesting about public schools, via the Oxford Foundation and the Michigan Education Finance Project: oxfordfoundationmi.com.
I look forward to seeing you soon at a school or community event.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools.

The members of the Clarkston Community Schools? family are anxious for a new school year.
You’ll soon see a new fleet of buses on the road, attend back-to-school functions, and gather for fall sporting events. It’s a very exciting time of year.
I’m very happy to report that our students continue to perform at the highest levels on state achievement tests.
Clarkston High School students score above the state and Oakland County averages on the ACT and MME tests, with improvements from year to year. Our 2012 graduates earned top scholarships to colleges and universities all across the United States.
This demonstrates the district and community’s commitment to excellence for all students, and provides evidence of the outstanding education our students receive from preschool through graduation.
In 2012, CCS will again focus on excellence for all students. Through our delayed starts/teacher professional learning communities, early interventions and multiple assessments, extra attention to students in all areas of need, and enhanced learning as a way of doing business, Clarkston seeks and achieves excellence.
Beyond excellence on achievement tests, CCS prepares all students for citizenship, service, leadership, and problem solving/creative thinking/innovation. Recent studies show that those who have attained a Bachelor’s Degree or some level of college fared much better through the world’s downward economic trends. Studies also demonstrate that students who can think, solve problems, create, make connections across content areas, and who believe in themselves do very well in college. Given these findings, it is more important than ever to ensure that each of our children possesses critical thinking skills’and that’s what CCS is all about.
In November, CCS will become the first public school district in the world to host a Harvard Graduate School of Education conference. Featured speakers include Howard Gardner, David Perkins, and Ron Ritchhart. Local, national, and international educators will also lead sessions.
We anticipate that nearly 1,000 participants from around the world will attend this three day conference. A parent strand is included, and we hope that many of our parents and community members will attend. Please find more information on the district’s website.
As an educator and father, it is incredibly meaningful to watch kids grow up’from their first days of Kindergarten to high school graduation. Their maturation and achievement are truly community efforts. This is why Clarkston is so special’because we work together to make sure that every child is connected to learning and possesses the tools and skills to achieve his or her dreams.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

As the school district works to overcome its biggest challenge of updating its educational infrastructure with limited resources, it continues to thrive and strive toward excellence.
Highlights of the outstanding district include high quality professional learning for all teachers and administrators, excellent literacy programs, outstanding curricula, advanced offerings, premier athletic programs, the world’s best teachers, and the highest quality facilities.
Clarkston is a destination place, both for its wonderful and charming amenities, its beautiful homes and neighborhoods, and the outstanding quality of its schools.
This fall, Clarkston will play host to nearly 1,000 educators from around the globe as they engage in a Project Zero Conference, Nov. 1-3.
The site of this conference is Clarkston High School and all of the CCS teachers will participate. Saturday morning will include a parent session.
Project Zero is a research and professional learning institute and think tank at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
Founded over 40 years ago by preeminent scholars, Howard Gardner and David Perkins, it now reaches around the globe offering profound insights into learning and teaching.
This is a tremendous honor for Clarkston as this is the very first time in the history of Project Zero that the entity has offered a conference at a public school.
In the past, Project Zero has held conferences on Harvard’s Cambridge, MA campus and at private, international schools in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Washington DC, New York City, Australia, and elsewhere in Europe. This honor will bring both world-wide recognition and amazing opportunities to Clarkston.
Project Zero researchers presenting at the Clarkston conference include Gardner, Perkins, Ron Ritchhart, Shari Tishman, Tina Blythe, Daniel Wilson, and Veronica Boix Mansilla. Local, regional, state, national, and international educators will also present sessions during the conference.
A culture of thinking is a learning space where every member’s thinking is honored, made visible, and advanced each day. The theory behind a culture of thinking is that learning is a product of thinking and that students whose minds are deeply engaged in thinking will perform well on standardized tests and beyond.
Much of present day education is about obtaining basic skills and memorizing facts.
Of course, skills and facts are important, but they are not enough. Students also need thinking skills, such as creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, communication, application, analysis, and evaluation.
As students use their basic skills and knowledge of facts in combination with their thinking skills to solve problems and create products, deep understandings result.
As an example, suppose you are teaching your child to cook a soup for the very first time. You begin with water, stir in vegetables and meat, add spices and broth, and–stirring occasionally’allow the contents to boil, simmer, and become soup.
Afterward, when your child ladles the soup into a bowl, he or she better understands soup as a combination of parts and processes compared to having simply seen the finished soup poured from a can to a pot to a bowl. Without the basic skills, knowledge of facts, and thinking skills, the full understanding of soup may never have developed in the child.
The same could be said of building a motor, starting a fire, or climbing a tree. The understandings go from parts to wholes and back to parts again. The basic skills and knowledge combine with thinking and experience to become solid understandings.
In a culture of thinking, teachers use structured thinking routines to help students slow down their thinking so that they can fully notice the parts and wholes.
As they engage in these routines, their teachers pose questions, asking students to dig more deeply into the problems and issues at hand. As students use these routines over and over again in their educational experiences, patterns of recognition, slowing down, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration, and communication develop into habits.
These thinking habits then transfer from the school setting to settings beyond school where students possess the motivation, inclination, skill, and awareness to put these habits to use.
During the 2010-2011 school year, members of the Clarkston Community Schools? Board of Education, teachers, administrators, and community members engaged in a comprehensive analysis and rewriting of the district’s vision, mission and learner profile.
The resulting strategic plan framework now provides direction for all of the decisions made within the district.
In the fall of 2011, a teacher and principal team from each of Clarkston’s 12 schools came together four times with Project Zero researcher, Ron Ritchhart, for day long sessions of studying cultures of thinking. Between these sessions, teachers and principals practiced thinking routines with their fellow teachers and their students.
In the winter of 2012, four additional teachers from each school joined the teams in four additional sessions with Ron Ritchhart. Members of these teams then returned to their schools and utilized thinking routines with their students and fellow teachers.
In each school, additional professional learnings, such as book talks and examination of students? thinking during delayed starts, also took place.
Please check out the district’s webpage for Cultures of Thinking perspectives from building principals.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools.

Included in the district’s needs list, which was established through the strategic planning process and lists how the district will utilize bond monies, is the establishment of 1-to-Global learning environments in each of our schools and classrooms.
Here, the district will supply each student with a digital learning device that will open up the world of learning and better prepare our students to compete with those in Rochester, Birmingham, Novi, Espoo, and Kallang. Toward this end, tive overarching principles will guide our decisions regarding technology, the curriculum, and instruction, including:
? to foster in each student the dispositions embodied in our Mission, Vision and Learner Profile (in what types of thinking do we want our students to engage?)
? to focus on the deep exploration of big ideas (what’s worth learning and thinking about?)
? to make learning both individual and collaborative (how do we attend to and celebrate individual students and simultaneously collectively engage our learners?)
? to make learning interdisciplinary (how do we make K-12 learning a coherent experience?)
? to provide students with the tools to demonstrate and perform their learning (how do we know that each of our students has learned and can think? what evidence will we accept?)
Imagine a Social Studies classroom discussion involving Syria. The teacher asks the students to use their digital technology to identify four sources supporting each side of the country’s civil war, two perspectives from China and Russia, and two perspectives from the UN. The teacher asks the students to document the various perspectives and to engage in conversations with other students in the class who have identitied different sources and perspectives.
The teacher then asks the students to take a side and to provide evidence for their decision. Next, the teacher asks each student to exchange his/her side with another student who has the opposite perspective and to defend that perspective.
Finally, the teacher asks students to gather into groups and create a video demonstrating their collective stance on Syria. What should the country do next? How should it resolve these issues? What role should the UN play? How should the UN deal with China and Russia? What are the possible repercussions for taking such a stance regarding China and Russia? What are the long term possibilities for the people of Syria?
Now imagine the Mathematics classroom next door. The students from the Social Studies class enter and are asked by the teacher to discuss the economic realities within Syria. Using a digital textbook created jointly by the students? mathematics, Social Studies, English, Physical Education, Art, and Science teachers, the students explore economic sources from the region and elsewhere around the world. The teacher asks the students, What economic factors affect the situation in Syria? What economic effect will the proposed solutions have on the country and the region?
Next, the students enter a Science classroom wherein the teacher asks the students to analyze the geographic region, the effects of geography and climate on the country’s economy and health, and the level of scientitic knowledge in the country. What are the health standards? What are the country’s geographic limitations? What does the country need to do to move fonivard?
After Science class, the students go to English class where they are asked by their teacher to write a paper around their conclusions. Using their mobile learning device, the teacher instructs the students to create an interactive paper including maps, videos, graphs, and text.
Students will work on this writing assignment in the groups established in Social Studies class.
At the end of the day, the students attend Physical Education class where they again use their mobile learning devices to investigate games played in Syria. Through a see-think-wonder thinking routine, the students observe one another engaged in the games and make connections to Syria’s science, culture, and economics.
The next day, the students return to their Social Studies classroom to continue their work on their group projects, which they will eventually use as their unit assessment for each of their classes. The teachers will work together to give each student feedback on his/her development of core curricular understandings.
The team will also give each student feedback on his/her development of the dispositions of creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, written and oral communication, imagination, and collaboration. Parents at home will have access to the videos created by students and the feedback on students? content area and thinking disposition development. The conversations around the dinner table during the unit of study may well involve the entire family thinking together about the deep learning taking place at school.
In 2012, this is the type of interactive, deep, all-inclusive learning that we believe is essential for every single child we serve. In 2012, we are obligated to prepare our students to sit shoulder to shoulder with students from Rochester, Birmingham, Novi, Espoo, and Kallang.
We believe that our focus on the five principles (mentioned previously), Combined with
1:Global technology, will help us make this a reality for every child we serve in 2012 (the receipt of first bond series); in 2016 (the receipt of the second bond series); in 2020 (the receipt of third bond series); on May 1, 2021 (when the first bond series is fully repaid); in 2025, when next Kindergarten students graduate from high school (and on May 1, 2025 when the second bond series is fully repaid); on May 1, 2029 when the third bond series is fully repaid; and beyond.
The May Bond election will cost $35,000 (which bond proceeds can reimburse) and give the district access to bond proceeds in June 2012, allowing us to move forward with 1:Global technology and capital needs updates before school begins in the Fall 2012. The district will fully implement 1 :Global technology for every student in the district within three years.
The bond series makes technology upgrades sustainable. The technology portion of the bond series, which amounts to 57% of the entire bond, will allow the district, over a period of fifteen years, to continue to update our technology.
As opposed to traditional bonds that require school districts to spend all of the proceeds in four or five years, the bond series we have selected to utilize gives us sustainability and allows us to consider ongoing technological advancements, along with data from the work of our students and teachers, to make informed decisions about future technological purchases.
The bond series provides a safety net for the community. lf taxable values increase, the district can adjust the amounts of the second and third series and perhaps get more for our money. If taxable values decrease, the district can adjust the amounts of the second and third series in the bond in order to maintain the one mill increase.
The bond series is a sound idea for the Clarkston Community Schools and each of the students we serve. It is an idea that gives this district and community sustainability and safety in meeting our technological and capital needs over the next 17 years. Given the district’s commitment to preparing every student we serve for whatever future they choose, this is a very sound investment.
I hope that this is what you want for your child. I hope that this is what you expect from your school system. I hope that this is what you will demand from the educators who serve your children, now and in the future.
Please watch for additional details related to the bond, including videos on cable TV, printed materials, and presentations. You can always find information at the district’s Website.
Dr. Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

On Feb. 1, 2012, a majority of states, including Michigan, hundreds of school districts, thousands of teachers, and nearly 2 million students participated in ‘Digital Learning Day?; a nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning through digital media and technology that engages students and provides them with a rich, personalized educational experience.
The Alliance for Excellence in Education, which sponsored the event, defined digital learning as ‘any instructional practice that is effectively using technology to strengthen the student learning experience.?
Digital learning encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices, including the use of online and formative assessments, increasing the focus and quality of teaching resources and time, online content and courses, applications of technology in the classroom and school building, adaptive software for students with special needs, learning platforms, e.g., Moodle, Blackboard, teachers and students participating in professional communities of practice, providing access to high’level and challenging content and instruction, and many other advancements.
In particular, blended learning is ‘any time a student learns, at least in part, at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and, at least in part, through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace.?
Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 challenged schools and companies to get digital textbooks in students? hands within five years.
The Obama administration’s push comes two weeks after Apple Inc. announced it would start to sell electronic versions of a few standard high-school books for use on its iPad tablet.
Digital books, both those created by publishing companies and teacher-made books’which is happening here in Clarkston, are viewed as a way to provide interactive learning, potentially save money, and get updated material faster to students.
‘At a time when technology has transformed how people interact and even led to social uprisings in the Middle East, education has too often lagged,? Duncan said.
‘Do we want kids walking around with 50’pound backpacks and every book in those backpacks costing 50, 60, 70 dollars and many of them being out of date? Or, do we want students walking around with a mobile device that has much more content than was even imaginable a couple years ago and can be constantly updated? I think it’s a very simple choice.?
In his Feb. 9 budget message, Governor Snyder suggested online instructional programs (blended learning and online instructional programs) as one of the speci’c criteria schools districts must offer in order to receive future, additional funding from the State of Michigan’s revenue surplus.
This is part of the Governor’s Any Time, Any Place, Any Way, Any Pace educational reform initiative.
On Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, 20 CCS teachers from all grade levels gathered to share their classroom uses of digital technology.
The excitement in the room was palpable as teachers described the ways that pilot technology and teacher guidance is enhancing students? learning experiences.
Many students in Novi, Holly, Hazel Park, Troy, Brandon, Avondale, Oxford, Farmington, Walled Lake, Rochester, Birmingham, and Bloomfield Hills attend completely wireless schools.
Students in Clarkston do not.
Teachers in Finland focus their students on the development of big understandings and deep thinking.
Beyond standardized tests, upon which Finland’s students perform very well, Finland’s students spend more time learning less content and demonstrating their depth of understanding.
In another high achieving country, Singapore, the government declared:
We want to nurture young Singaporeans who ask questions and look for answers, and who are willing to think in new ways, solve new problems and create new opportunities for the future.
And, equally important, we want to help our young to build up a set of sound values so that they have the strength of character and resilience to deal with life’s inevitable setbacks without being unduly discouraged, and so that they have the willingness to work hard to achieve their dreams.
When your child goes off to the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Princeton, Western Michigan, Oakland University, Wayne State, or Duke, it is likely that sitting in the seats directly next to him/her will be a student from Finland and a student from Singapore.
Four years later when your child applies for a job with a global company, it is very likely that also included in the on’line stack of resumes will be submissions from students from Finland.
The Clarkston Community Schools recently completed a comprehensive strategic planning process that included input from various stakeholders.
Those involved in the process developed a needs list that is available on the district’s website.
The process also elicited a revised vision, mission, and learner profile that focuses on individual students, the development of their minds, and their preparedness for and contributions to a global marketplace.
With the needs list in mind, the Clarkston Community Schools? Board of Education resolved to give the community the opportunity to vote on May 8 for a bond election that allows the district to move forward with its vision, mission, and learner profile for every single student, now and in the future.
Included in the needs list is the establishment of 1-to-Global Learning environments in each of our schools and classrooms.
Here, the district will supply each student with a digital learning device that will open up the world of learning and better prepare our students to compete with those in Rochester, Birmingham, Novi, Espoo, and Kallang.
Toward this end, five overarching principles will guide our decisions regarding technology, the curriculum, and instruction, including:
? to foster in each student the dispositions embodied in our Mission, vision and Learner Profile (in what types of thinking do we want our students to engage?)
? to focus on the deep exploration of big ideas (what’s worth learning and thinking about?)
? to make learning both individual and collaborative (how do we attend to and celebrate individual students and simultaneously collectively engage our learners?)
? to make learning interdisciplinary (how do we make K-12 learning a coherent experience?)
? to provide students with the tools to demonstrate and perform their learning (how do we know that each of our students has learned and can think? what evidence will we accept?)
In next week’s paper, I will share more information related to how your child’s educational experience will change, through a focus on these principles. Please stay tuned (or read the entire article now at the district’s Website).
Dr. Rod Rock is Clarkston Superintendent of Schools. Let us know what you think by writing us at Clarkstonnews@gmail.com. 5 S. Main Street, Clarkston, MI, 48346, or call us at 248-625-3370.

We’re two weeks into the school year. I hope the experience is excellent so far for everyone! Here’s a quick update.
Developmental Days
On Sept. 23, we’ll have our first Developmental Day of the year. Herein, our elementary teachers will engage in AIMSWeb (which is a literacy assessment) training, examining the literacy data generated through the assessment of all K-5 students since the beginning of the school year. At the same time, a principal and a teacher from each K-12 building will attend a leadership training with Harvard University researchers Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church.
The topic is Cultures of Thinking, which our district will undertake this year. The Clarkston Community Schools will host this training, including educators from 13 other Oakland County school districts.
In all four of our secondary school buildings during the a.m. session, teachers will work in Professional Learning Communities to address school-wide initiatives, including literacy, data, identifying essential learnings around which to teach, and school culture. In addition to this, Sashabaw Middle School will view demonstration lessons in Positive Behavior Intervention and Support, Mi-CLASS, and Cultures of Thinking. Renaissance High School’s teachers will examine a video on 21st Century Skills and work on integrating technology into the classroom with the use of web pages, Google Docs, and etc. Subject area coordinators will continue their work with secondary teachers in the afternoon on creating essentials, developing common assessments, and determining how to measure student growth.
Thank you for giving our teachers this critical time to work together. We will use it to further our district’s mission, vision, and learner profile.
State Assessments
Last week, Michigan’s State Board of Education announced changes in cut scores for the MEAP (grades 3-9) and the MME (grade 11). Essentially, students must now score significantly higher to achieve proficiency status. These changes will have a significantly negative effect on proficiency rates for all schools in Michigan. Subsequently, students? test scores will affect Adequate Yearly Progress, meaning that more schools, due to declining test scores, will fall below required levels of annual improvement, and will face sanctions. Our Clarkston Community Schools? will continue to work very hard and we fully expect our students to excel. If you’re interested in seeing the predicted drop levels in scores across Oakland County, please see the CCS website.
Pending Legislation
The state legislature is proposing the elimination of the personal property tax. For the Clarkston Community Schools, this could mean a $300,000+ reduction in funding through our ISD.
Additionally, the elimination of this tax means a loss of up to $200 per pupil in revenue collected locally, which the state is required to reimburse back to our district. Given the tough economic times in Michigan, it is a slippery slope to think that the state will have the revenue to fill this gap. It is also troubling to think that the state may attach future revenue increases to student achievement levels. Another disconcerting fact is that local units of government face even larger losses in revenue through the elimination of the Personal Property Tax. You’ll find more information at the CCS website.
Parent Choice Legislation
Both the federal and state governments are considering allowing additional charter schools to open, which is designed to give parents more educational options for their children, despite the fact that they spend more on administration, perform at a lower level, and do provide expansive special education services (see more information on the CCS website). Also, Michigan’s state government is considering the opening of schools of choice for every school district in the state. This means that children from other districts could potentially come to Clarkston at any grade level or in any program that has open seats. As you’re aware, our district has selected to participate in schools of choice only on a limited basis wherein we can set the entrance requirements. Last month, your Board of Education passed a resolution against expanded schools of choice.
Right to Work and Privatizing Teaching
Other potential legislation at the state level includes allowing teachers the right to opt out of unions and giving schools the option of employing teachers through a third party. I strongly oppose both of these ideas as I believe that the Clarkston Education Association offers efficiency of scale, truly wants the best for kids, and provide an excellent education for our students. Further, I want Clarkston to employ our own teachers. It may make sense in some cases for other, smaller, non-teaching groups to work through a third party, provided that we can continue to employ our great people. Privatizing teachers, in my opinion, is simply a bad idea that de-professionalizes teaching.
If you have an opinion on these issues, please contact your legislator at the state and/or federal level. Please also feel free to share your opinions with me.
Life Lessons
I’m exceedingly honored to call myself a Clarkston Wolf and I tremendously enjoy watching our student-athletes compete. I know that our football team, under the expert and high character leadership of Kurt Richardson and his excellent staff, will work very hard to overcome the challenges they’ve encountered early in the season. As we adults know from our playing days, there’s nothing quite like being a member of a successful team. These are the relationships and competitive moments that shape our character. As with every loss, tackle behind the line of scrimmage, fourth and short, or potential game-clinching play, our football team will stand together and confidently overcome the obstacles that stand between them and their goals. I believe that, in their future, this team will fondly remember the 2011 football season wherein they collectively accomplished something extraordinary. And I know that I will feel fortunate to have been one of their fans. Go Wolves!
Many thanks to our teachers and principals, bus drivers, support staff, food service personnel, secretaries, custodians, building and grounds crew, safety personnel, crossing guards, technology staff, central office personnel, and all others for their great work with kids. I want to give a special shout out to our Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Shawn Ryan, who, along with his leadership team, is conceptualizing an amazing structure for continuous learning and sustainable excellence. Way to go, Mr. Ryan.
If there’s ever any way that I can be of direct service to you, please contact me at rdrock@clarkston.k12.mi.us
Rod Rock, Ed.D., superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools.

I’ve spent a good deal of time in the last few weeks writing to you about the State of Michigan’s proposed budgetary changes.
Last week, these changes came to fruition, meaning that our district will receive for the school year 2011-2012 a reduction in per pupil funding of at least $1.5 million.
In order to offset this reduction by $100 per student (reducing our cut from the state to $800,000), the state’s budget requires us to meet four out of five financial ‘best practices.?
I’m confident, due to the collaborative nature of our relationships with our collective bargaining groups, along with the strategic moves our district and employee groups have made over several years, that we’ll meet these requirements.
The Clarkston Community Schools is now the holder of our own health insurance and we share services with Lake Orion. We anticipate making a few other changes in order to meet the state’s financial best practices mandates. More information will follow.
In addition to the cuts required from the state, the Clarkston Community Schools has taken several steps to balance our budget over the next two years, amounting to $3.4 million worth of reductions and savings.
This means that next year we will freeze salaries for all employees, we will have fewer media specialists, less aide time in the early grades, less money in the International Baccalaureate budget, and we will increase the distance between bus stops and reduce some money for non-instructional field trips.
Through all of this, I’ve made a commitment to focusing on the future. We will accomplish this through our revised vision, mission, learner profile, and strategic plan; by building upon the excellence that exists in our district; through great teaching; and through the continued support of parents and the community. I will provide more information on this in the coming weeks.
As you’re aware, I’ve written two installments of the Superintendent’s Call to Action. You’ve had a chance to read and comment on my ideas.
My third installment is entitled the Superintendent’s Manifesto III, which you will see in the coming days.
Here, I offer some suggestions as to revisions of the state’s Constitution, a Children’s Bill of Rights, the establishment of the WE Party, and a focus on Education-kNow!
As an advocate of locally controlled schools; excellent teachers; engaged, globally connected students; and collaborative communities & parents, I believe that the need for us to stand together is just beginning, especially since the legislature and governor will next tackle their school reform agenda. I will continue to do all I can to advance our cause.
This week, our seniors complete their final days at CHS and RHS. I’m thankful for all of the support offered to our graduates from parents, teachers, family members, school personnel, the board of education, and the community.
I’m grateful to these seniors for the contributions they’ve made to Clarkston and I wish them the very best in the future. I pray for their safety as they complete busy schedules.
It’s an honor for me to serve the Clarkston community and the Clarkston Community Schools.
Rod Rock, Ed.D., is superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools

I did everything that was requested of me, and so did fellow Michigan citizens.
The majority of our elected officials did not hear our voices and instead chose to unnecessarily reduce K-12 educational funding, which will negatively affect our schools, our children, and their teachers.
I’m angry with and disappointed in those elected officials who chose to vote this way. It’s left me wondering about the longterm agenda of these elected officials. Is this the beginning of the end of public education as we know it? No! Not on my watch.
As the superintendent of the Clarkston Community Schools, I am not just the supervisor of employees, I am the ‘lead teacher and lead learner,? a steward of the learning process as a whole, and an advocate for children and their learning. It is my responsibility’to the community, teachers, district employees, administrators, parents, and students’to ensure an excellent education for every child.
Further, I serve all children in Michigan, regardless of the district in which they reside. I fully intend to fulfill my responsibility, especially now when many of our elected officials have seemingly abandoned us.
In response, I simply choose to say, ‘No. I will not idly accept this devaluing of public education.
I’m going to act instead in accordance with my values.? And, I believe that we must act collectively. Instead of 500+ school districts individually cutting budgets and multiple agencies singularly developing and acting upon agendas, let’s act as one voice for our children.
Should you choose to join me, perhaps we could brand our collective cause, EducatioNO!: We’re Not Going to Take It.
Here are my values:
Locally controlled schools; excellent teachers; engaged, globally connected students; and collaborative communities & parents.
What do you value?
Here are some points, representing a possible platform for EducatioNO!:
1. Every child deserves and shall receive an exceptional education with an excellent teacher, every minute of every day of every year.
2. Improving schools is not the function of government. Governments do not improve schools.
3. The governor, state representatives, state senators, and the Michigan Department of Education are not knowledge authorities on education.
4. Education is not political. Education is fundamental.
5. Local communities must control their school systems.
6. The government needs to get out of the education business. Instead, the government needs to act to make an excellent education a fundamental right of every child.
7. Excellent schools require consistent funding. Local schools require options for raising revenues.
8. Research and practice have informed us, and will continue to do so, as to the elements of an excellent education. Technology is one of the quintessential tools in this pursuit. We must use research and practice to inform our work, constantly.
9. Local school districts must work together, with other entities to increase efficiency, decrease redundancy, and improve effectiveness.
10. One size does not fit all’children, families, teachers, schools, communities, people, alligators, onions, fruit trees, fingernails, political parties, transmissions. Schools require different options, depending on their needs.
As I travel across our school district observing kids, listening to teachers and other district employees, and conversing with parents and community members, I feel as though I have let them down. I asked them to remain hopeful. I promised that we would figure things out, no matter how bad they get. Our people work very hard; doing whatever they have to in service of each child.
Our educators, parents, and citizens were hopeful their elected officials would notice and support them. When I told the teachers of the House’s vote to cut funding, I could see the hurt in their eyes.
Not one of them said, ‘What about me? I need more money. I need my retirement. I need my health care.?
Just as I would expect of people who love kids, they said, ‘What about my kids? What about our colleagues??
You see, schooling is local. It’s people. It’s relationships. It’s first, middle, and last names. It’s personalities. It’s laughter. It’s school spirit. It’s hope. It’s service. It’s collective and collaborative. It’s fundamental.
So, I’m standing up. Who is with me? Please send me a note to let me know what you think.
I will have more to say next week.
Rod Rock, Ed.D.
Superintendent