Gladbrook-Reinbeck Board Takes Firm Stand Against Dissolution

Superintendent News & Views

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Board 

Takes Firm Stand Against Dissolution

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

        

      Most patrons of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District understand that the district has been progressing through a legal dissolution process in recent months.  The dissolution process officially started when the required number of district residents presented a petition to the G-R Board of Directors calling for the district to be dissolved. In response, the school board appointed a dissolution commission, and the commission has been working through the steps of dissolution as required by law.

      We are nearing the end of this process, and a public vote on whether the district will dissolve will be taking place soon – almost certainly this September.  One final opportunity for district patrons to give input to the school board will take place at a public hearing which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 17 in the commons at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Junior/Senior High School.

      The regular monthly school board meeting will follow the public hearing, and at this meeting I expect the Board to adopt a resolution calling for a ballot question to be voted on during the upcoming school board election. Ballot language in which a “YES” vote means, “Yes, dissolve the district,” and a “NO” vote means, “No, do not dissolve the district – I want to keep G-R schools,” will be submitted to county election officials for a vote to take place on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The following graphic explains the meaning of the "YES" and "NO" votes in the simplest terms possible:

CLICK HERE to view or download a larger version of this graphic.

      If you are one of the many people who have contacted me stating that you’d like to see Gladbrook-Reinbeck remain a school district, please don’t let these latest steps in the process cause you to be upset with the school board members.  They are calling for this election because it is the next step in a process that they are legally required to follow.

      Reports in some of our regional media have led to misperceptions about the proposed dissolution.  Headlines such as “Gladbrook-Reinbeck Dissolution Moving Forward,” or “No Public Objections to Dissolution” are very misleading, and they may cause people to think that the Board is in favor of dissolving the district.

      That’s why I’m pleased to report that the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Board of Education has decided to make it clear to the public that they are unanimously AGAINST the dissolution of the G-R district.  Your board members want G-R to remain G-R, and they have now taken decisive action to make that perfectly clear.

      The Board recently passed a resolution which confirms their unanimous opposition to the dissolution of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District.  The resolution explains that as elected officials entrusted with public education, it is the Board’s responsibility to inform the public of the importance of the upcoming election. 

      The full text of the Board’s resolution is included at the bottom of this blog post.  You can also read it or download a copy at http://tinyurl.com/DissolutionResolution.  I encourage you to share this with others so that everyone will be clear about the Board’s intentions.

      Is it appropriate for a school board to take a position on an upcoming ballot item?  Is it legal?  Absolutely.  Iowa Code section 68A.505 allows a governing body to express an opinion on a ballot issue through the passage of a resolution or proclamation.  The Board’s resolution has been reviewed by the district’s attorney as well as a staffer at the Iowa Campaign and Ethics Disclosure Board. Both have found it to be within the parameters of the law. 

      I’m pleased that the School Board has taken this step to eliminate public confusion as the September dissolution election approaches.  I encourage all of the district’s citizens to read the Board’s resolution and consider the ways that you, your family, and your community would be affected if the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District didn’t exist.  Finally, I encourage all eligible voters, regardless of your opinion on the matter, to make your voice heard by exercising your right to vote on September 12.

    Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent David Hill invites you to join the conversation by leaving comments on his blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com and/or following him on Twitter at @DavidRobertHill.  

This resolution can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/DissolutionResolution.

I’ll Call it Independence Day

Superintendent News & Views

I’ll Call it INDEPENDENCE DAY

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

America will soon be celebrating the Independence Day holiday. On July 4, people across our nation will enjoy a day off from work, a day at the lake, a family barbecue, perhaps a parade or local festival, and other traditions. Millions will enjoy beautiful fireworks displays. But often, we don’t take time to consider the origins of the holiday and to appreciate the true meaning of this special day.

Have you read the Declaration of Independence? Have you considered what the declaration meant to those who signed it? I know some of the words may seem a little "old fashioned," but if you are an American and you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so and to think about what it really meant to those at the time. 

These brave people believed that their rights came from God -- not from a King, a constitution or any other document, or from any form of government. They understood that because governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed, whenever any form of government becomes destructive the people have the right to alter or abolish their government. Because of the British crown's many abuses of the colonists, they chose to separate from the British government and declare each of the 13 colonies to be free and independent states, and they mutually pledged their lives to defend these United States.

These were the first Americans.

Through the Declaration of Independence, these first Americans were essentially saying, "Hey King, our rights come from God, not from you. We've allowed you to be our leader for a long time, but now you’re not living up to your end of the deal. We're cutting ties with you starting today, and we have every right do to so. If necessary, we're ready to give our lives to defend this right."

Some call the holiday "July 4th." Some call it "America's birthday." Yes, it is the 4th day in July and it is the birthday of our country. But the 4th is just a number, and the word "birthday" brings thoughts of balloons, cake, and presents. I prefer to think of the holiday by its real name, INDEPENDENCE DAY.

When you hear the words Independence Day, I hope you'll remember these first Americans and take a moment to appreciate what this day is really all about. 

Parent Input Conferences: A Proactive Approach

Superintendent News & Views

Parent Input Conferences: A Proactive Approach

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

     

      In April, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck School Board approved the calendar for the 2017-2018 academic year.  While a detailed calendar will be provided to all families as the school year approaches, you may wish to get a jump on your planning by viewing the 1-page planning calendar which includes all of the early dismissals, professional development days, and holiday breaks. You can view this calendar by visiting http://tinyurl.com/GRCalendars.

      One of the first things that many people will notice when they see the district’s 2017-2018 calendar is the EARLY date for the first set of Parent/Teacher Conferences, and the fact that these conferences have been renamed – they are now called “PARENT INPUT CONFERENCES.”  These conferences will be held on August 29 and 31. 

      Why are parent conferences being held just one week into the new school year? What could your child’s teacher possibly tell you about their performance after just a few days of school have been held? 

      We’re taking a new approach to conferences this fall.  Fall conferences at Gladbrook-Reinbeck will see a change in the focus from the typical model where the teacher reports to the parents about the student’s work, grades and test scores. The new model will be a PROACTIVE conversation with the teacher and parents having an exchange of information. Parents will learn about upcoming classroom schedules, activities and expectations and will be able to share insight about their child thereby establishing open avenues of communication that will carry on throughout the entire school year.

   Research has shown that parental involvement is the most important factor in a student's success in school and it is the district’s desire to kick off the new school year in a positive fashion by starting conversations, establishing relationships and working together as partners.

      Parent Input Conferences are planned for Tuesday, August 29 and Thursday, August 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. both nights. There will be 2-hour early dismissals both days followed by a no school day on Friday, September 1. The 7-12 staff will be available to meet with parents during the scheduled hours both days, and parents of students in grades 7-12 are encouraged to stop by at their convenience and meet with one or all of their child’s teachers.  Elementary Parents will have the opportunity to sign up for a scheduled conference during back-to-school registration, and reminders will be sent home with elementary students indicating the time of their scheduled conference.

      The G-R Staff is looking forward to partnering with parents and families in an effort to help ALL students achieve success in the 2017-2018 school year!

      I hope you’ve found the information in my SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns to be interesting and useful. If you’ve missed any of my columns or would like to re-read or share them with your friends and family, you are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com where they are all posted. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter (@DavidRobertHill) where I will occasionally post updates or other information not found on the blog.

Years of Service Milestones

The Board of Education hosted a special staff recognition breakfast for the Gladbrook-Reinbeck staff on Thursday, June 8 at the Memorial Building in Reinbeck.  On the staff members' last day of the 2016-2017 School Year, several staff members were recognized for reaching certain "milestones" in their years of service to the school district. The following staff members were recognized:

5 Years of Service

Valerie Ehlers

Kyle Formanek

Andrew McQuillen

Kimberly Tscherter

10 Years of Service

Jessica Weber

15 Years of Service

Karen Bassett

20 Years of Service

Lynette Purvis

Jennifer Wrage

30 Years of Service

Pamela Heithoff

35 Years of Service

James Anderson

Thomas Boheman

45 Years

Patricia Bailey

Congratulations to these teachers and staff members for reaching these milestones, and THANK YOU for your service to our students and our school district!

Pictured: Tom Boheman, Kyle Formanek, Lyn Purvis, Kym Tscherter, Jennifer Wrage

Jessica Weber, Jim Anderson, Val Ehlers, Pam Heithoff, and Pattie Bailey. Not pictured: 

Andy McQuillen, Karen Bassett

Rebel Reflections…Looking Back on a GReat School Year!!!

Superintendent News & Views

Rebel Reflections…Looking Back on a GReat School Year!!!

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

Those of us engaged in the education profession often encourage our students to pause and reflect.  Many teachers include reflection as a structured part of each lesson.  We all know intuitively that we learn by experience and that our mistakes can be some of our best learning opportunities, and there is much research that proves this to be true. There is a great deal of educational research which tells us that the most effective learning happens when we take time to actively think about our experiences and consider what these experiences actually mean.

While I strongly believe in the effectiveness of reflection in the learning process, I’m often guilty of not taking time to use reflection as a learning tool for myself.  This week’s column will be an attempt to remedy that – it will be a reflection on the past school year.  It will largely be a PERSONAL reflection, but I invite you to read my thoughts; and, in the final paragraph of this column, I’ll even invite you to respond if you feel so inclined.

The conclusion of the 2016-2017 school year marks the completion of my twenty-first full year as an educator –starting with nine years as a teacher followed by twelve years as an administrator. This wasn’t my first year as a superintendent, but it was my first year of serving TWO districts in that role. While there are things that I will definitely want to do differently in year two, in general I believe that both districts have benefitted from this arrangement. 

At times, it has been a challenge for me to be less “hands-on” and to let the talented principals, secretaries, teachers, and other professionals that I work with handle the day-to-day management while I focused on the more “big-picture” thinking for the district. I would have preferred to have spent less time behind my desk doing paperwork and more time observing the instruction in our classrooms or watching our students succeed on the playing field and in their various activities.  There have been times that the work piled up and to the point that it was overwhelming. Learning to prioritize the more critical tasks, learning to delegate some tasks, and investing some evening and weekend hours in playing “catch-up” at one or both of my offices have been the keys that have helped during these challenging periods. I know that with time and experience, this will only get better. 

Yes, I must admit that there were a few times during the year when I felt that both of my districts needed their own full-time superintendent.  But, looking back now on those periods of frustration, I feel a great sense of satisfaction knowing that having a shared superintendent is part of the plan for the long-term financial stability of these two great school systems. Sharing a superintendent hasn’t negatively affected any student’s learning and has been an important part of both districts’ efforts to achieve financial stability during this period of declining enrollment and inadequate state funding.  I’m PROUD to be part of the long-term solution for Gladbrook-Reinbeck and North Tama Schools!

Many folks would probably tell you that this has been a GREAT school year primarily because of our students’ accomplishments…things like our athletes’ multiple state tournament appearances, our students’ growth in standardized test scores, the tremendous number of scholarships and academic achievements earned by the senior class, and numerous other recognitions earned in our fine arts programs and other student activities.  I can’t disagree…the Rebels do have a lot to be proud of. 

While I’m certainly proud of all of these things, the thing I’m most proud of is that despite the challenges of an effort to dissolve the school district and the financial struggles facing G-R and many small schools, Gladbrook-Reinbeck hasn’t lost focus on its core principles and continues to make significant progress toward meeting and exceeding all of them.

These “Guiding Principles,” as established a few years ago by the school board, are: 1) Maximize academic opportunities for our students; 2) Work at being a leader in utilizing technology in our classrooms; 3) Maintain and improve facilities to meet student needs; 4) Maintain a positive culture for students, staff, and community; and 5) Make financial decisions to ensure that G-R remains a financially viable district.

It has been a joy to see our students succeed over the past year.  But for me, the greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that despite some challenging circumstances, the educational community at Gladbrook-Reinbeck never lost its focus on these guiding principles and made significant progress toward meeting and exceeding each of these goals. That’s the mark of a school system that is serving its students well and that’s one of the main reasons that I’m proud to be part of what’s happening here at G-R. 

Yes, it has been a GReat year at G-R!  I want to thank our school board for their support and leadership, along with the efforts of our amazing principals, secretaries, teachers, associates, bus drivers, custodians and the other professionals who made it all happen.  I’m looking forward to the coming year with great anticipation – May the 2017-2018 school year be Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s best year yet! 

I encourage your feedback on this column, along with any questions you may have. You are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my columns and leave comments if you wish. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.  

Recognizing Our School Board Members

Superintendent News & Views

Recognizing Our School Board Members

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

May is School Board Recognition Month in Iowa, honoring the men and women who serve on the of Boards of Education in school districts across the state. These dedicated public servants become school board members because they are committed to improving public education and their communities.

Our board members devote many hours to making sure Gladbrook-Reinbeck is a safe and efficient place to work and learn. Their actions ensure that the dedicated educators are Gladbrook-Reinbeck Schools have the resources and instructional programs needed to educate children to their fullest potential.

School board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet few people fully understand the scope and far-reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. I hope that all citizens of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District appreciate the vital contributions of our board members for the crucial role they play in the education of our children. Their job entails an endless string of meetings and school functions to attend; reams of reports, agendas, proposals and other information to read and study; and a host of difficult decisions to make.

These volunteer leaders also are responsible for formulating school policy, approving curricular changes, maintaining school facilities and adhering to ever-changing state and federal education laws. Legal concerns and the complexities of school finance, including budgeting and taxation, require them to spend many hours in board meetings and personal study to enhance their understanding of these issues.

As elected leaders, school board members are accountable to the voters who elected them. This isn’t always easy, but our board members show again and again that they are up to the task. They each work tirelessly to do what’s best for all of our students. Although they may individually disagree on certain issues, their role as a board is to keep the district moving forward in achieving our goals.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s current school board members are Lisa Swanson, Josh Hemann, Rod Brockett, Anne Boyer, Doug Rowe, Matt Wyatt, and Susie Petersen. When you see these leaders, I hope you will express your appreciation for their dedication and their service to our school. They deserve our recognition for a job well done!

To our school board: we appreciate your dedication and hard work on behalf of our students, staff, and community. We appreciate you!

"Counting the Days"

Superintendent News & Views

“Counting the Days”

An update on numerous topics of interest as we approach the final month of the 2016-2017 school year, by David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

      As a student, I remember counting the days as the end of the school year approached. While I was one of those students that just LOVED school, I also just couldn’t contain my excitement about the approaching summer break! Even now as a school administrator, people often ask me this time of the year if I am “counting the days” until the end of the school year. If you are reading this column on the date of its publication in the newspapers (May 5, 2017) then we are about one month away from the last day of school. Ready or not, it’s time to start counting the days.

      Normally, my SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns focus on a single topic. With the end of the school year quickly approaching, I’m going to break with this practice and briefly cover several topics of interest in this week’s column. I hope you’ll find this information useful as a student, parent, or patron of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District.

THANK YOU, GLADBROOK VOLUNTEERS!

      On April 19, one of our school buses was involved in an accident near Goos Implement on Highway 96.  Thankfully, no one on the bus was hurt. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the people who were the first to respond at the scene to make sure our students were safe. Because so many of our students now have cellular phones, many parents arrived at the scene immediately after the accident. The ambulance crew and Gladbrook Fire Department were AMAZING as they responded to the crisis and took control of the situation. It’s folks like this who make our small communities a great place to live and raise a family. THANK YOU for your service during our time of need…and all throughout the year! 

CORRECTION – DISTRICT DISSOLUTION ARTICLE

      More than one of our area papers recently printed an article which may give people the impression that the SCHOOL BOARD will soon be voting on whether to dissolve the district. I feel the need to set the record straight, as this just isn’t correct. A school district can only be dissolved by a majority vote of the district’s citizens.

      Here is a brief update on the TRUE status of the proposed dissolution: In the near future (possibly even at the May board meeting, depending on the responses from neighboring districts) the dissolution commission will present its plan to the school board. The plan is identical to the plan developed by the first commission last summer. When the school board receives this plan, it will vote on whether to make changes to the plan or to keep it as presented. The board will then hold a public hearing, have its attorney draw up ballot language, and present this ballot language to the county auditor to be voted on by the public in a regular or special election. 

      While a date for the vote hasn’t been finalized, it is likely that the public vote on the possible dissolution of the G-R district will take place in September, at the same time as the regular school board election.

DISSOLUTION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

      There were no questions from the public at the G-R Dissolution Commission’s public hearing held on April 17. I hope the reason for this is that the commission has been very transparent in its work. The fact that the proposal hasn’t changed is likely another factor.  Still, there may be members of the public who have questions about the process, or what a dissolution would mean to them. I understand that not everyone can make it to the commission’s public meetings. 

      If there still are questions, I’d like to address as many of those as possible in my column or on my blog sometime prior to the dissolution vote.  Therefore, I’ve created two simple ways that members of the public can submit a question:

1. Go to a web browser and type http://tinyurl.com/DissolutionQuestions in the address bar. Type your question and click “submit.” 
2. Call (641)715-3900 from a touch-tone phone (toll charges may apply). When prompted to enter an extension number, enter 702533 followed by the # (pound sign). Record your question, speaking slowly and clearly. 

      I will review all questions submitted and look for patterns, trying to address those that are of greatest interest to district patrons. Before calling in a question or submitting a question on the web, you may wish to visit the district’s website to review the commission’s agendas and minutes. THANK YOU for your interest in the future direction of the G-R district! 

NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

      This is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Gladbrook-Reinbeck teachers for their hard work and dedication. In my short time with the district, I’ve quickly come to realize that G-R employs some of the very best teachers in the profession today. I am honored to be G-R’s superintendent, and I am very proud to play a role in supporting the work that these talented teachers do each day. Thank you, teachers, for making a difference in the lives of your students. You help our students achieve success in school, in their activities, and in their communities; and, the work you do will pay dividends for MANY YEARS TO COME!!! 

SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH

      May is School Board Recognition Month in Iowa, honoring the men and women who serve on the of Boards of Education in school districts across the state. These dedicated public servants become school board members because they are committed to improving public education and their communities. When you see your elected board members, please thank them for their dedication and their service to our school. They deserve our recognition for a job well done! Because this recognition is a month long, I’ll have time to go into more depth on this in a future column. 

END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

      Like most Iowa school districts, the weather sometimes gets in our way and prevents us from having school. G-R has also been fortunate enough to have some cancellations due to the Rebels’ outstanding athletic achievements this year. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the last day of the school year for the 2016-2017 school year will be on Tuesday, June 6.  The 2017-2018 school year will begin on Wednesday, August 23. 

As you can tell, it is a very busy time for all of us involved with the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District. I hope you’ve found the information in this column to be useful. My SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns, in addition to my blog and Twitter postings, are part of my plan for open communication with the community. As a part-time superintendent that also has duties in another school district, I believe that open and clear communication is more important than ever before. If you’ve missed any of my columns or would like to re-read or share them with your friends and family, you are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com where they are all posted. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter (@DavidRobertHill) where I will occasionally post updates or other information not found on the blog.