Lost Schools

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, October 30 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

Have you seen the new Lost Schools documentary on Iowa Public Television? We happened to catch part of this program on IPTV over the weekend, and I encourage you to try to find an opportunity to catch this outstanding documentary during one of the many rebroadcasts that are planned in the upcoming month. The program provides a sobering look at how an entire community is affected when its school is closed. 

The former Geneseo Consolidated School.

Nearly every day I drive past the former Geneseo Consolidated School building as well as the former Buckingham school on my way to or from Traer. As I pass by, I think about the dedicated parents, community members, and teachers that worked hard to provide an outstanding education for their children. Perhaps many of you experience similar thoughts as you drive past these schools, or the former school buildings in other area towns such as Dinsdale or Clutier. 

The former Clutier School.

Over 4,000 schools have been closed in the state of Iowa since 1950. The “first wave” of school closings took place because of Iowans’ desire to merge rural one-room school districts that were only able to offer schooling through the 8th grade, with the goal of offering a comprehensive high school education for all students. In the ensuing years as rural populations declined, further consolidations took place throughout Iowa, leading to more school closures. In some cases, the main reason for a consolidation was not financial but a desire to offer greater opportunities through cooperation with neighboring districts. However, the primary reason for many of these mergers and school closings was declining student numbers and the subsequent loss of funding. To put it simply, they didn’t have enough money to keep the doors open. 

The former Dinsdale school. 

Is Iowa about to experience another “wave” of school closures?  I believe there are some that would like to see that happen, and they are creating conditions that will make it very challenging for smaller schools to remain open. Most school districts in Iowa - with the exception of a few urban and suburban districts - are experiencing declining enrollment. Funding is tied to enrollment. In times of declining enrollment, schools need to be able to plan ahead in order to be fiscally responsible. 

According to Iowa law, within the first 30 days of the legislative session each January the legislature is supposed to set the rate of school funding for the next TWO fiscal years. The Iowa legislature has broken that law numerous times over the last several years, leaving Iowa districts unsure about funding levels and providing inadequate time to make adjustments. As a result, many Iowa districts are losing spending authority and each year coming closer to the point at which they are forced to have discussions about closing their schools.

At North Tama, our current financial position is healthy but we are very concerned about the long-term financial health of our district given our declining enrollment as well as the inadequate funding we have received. Our inability to plan ahead due to the legislature’s failure to follow the law has only made the problem worse. Our certified enrollment is down by 39 students this fall compared to a year ago, and down by about 100 students over the past six years. Predicting enrollment changes is more difficult than ever before due to today’s highly mobile society with families moving more often and having the ability to easily switch from district to another through open enrollment, online schooling, home-schooling and other options. When a district also can’t predict funding levels because the legislature fails to follow the law, these two unknowns (enrollment and funding) factored together make it even more difficult for schools to plan and adjust. North Tama’s board was required by law to adopt a budget last spring, even though they didn’t know what the funding levels would be at the time. As a result, we will lose a significant amount of our spending authority. While this won’t force North Tama to become another one of Iowa’s “Lost Schools,” we are very concerned about the long-term implications for North Tama if these trends don’t reverse. 

The 2016 legislative session is just a little over 9 weeks away. Our legislators need to recognize that students in small schools deserve the same opportunities as the students in urban and suburban districts, and to recognize that small town schools are a vital part of the economy of our local communities. The legislature can show us that they understand the value of small schools by placing a priority on setting reasonable state funding levels in a timely manner. Furthermore, they can make a huge difference for smaller schools by not earmarking funds for specific programs but allowing local school boards to set the priorities. I urge our Lawmakers to hold off on discussing any other legislation — such as trivial matters like the legalization of fireworks — until education funding for the next TWO years is settled as is required by law. It’s time for our legislature to follow the law and treat Iowa’s students as their top priority.

Click Here to visit a web page created by the Des Moines Register featuring the Iowa's Lost Schools series of articles and web features.

Click Here to visit Iowa Public Television's website with information on the Lost Schools Documentary program.

Click Here to learn more about a book called For All the Small Schools written by Dave and Barb Else of Cedar Falls, Iowa.  The book is a photographic pursuit designed to rekindle memories of Iowa's great rural schools and the students, parents, and communities they served.

Make Every Day Count

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, October 2 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

On the first day of school in August, I challenged our students to make the most of every day this school year by being an active participant in their learning.  Perhaps you’ve heard the saying “You can’t win if you don’t play.”  You may have seen on the news that about a month ago that a man from Jesup won $1 million when he bought a Powerball ticket at a gas station in Washburn, about 25 miles from here. I’m not sharing this information to promote gambling -- I’m illustrating a point about participation. While your odds of winning a lottery jackpot are very slim, I guarantee you that there is a 100% chance that this man wouldn't have won anything if he hadn’t bought that lottery ticket. You can’t win if you don’t play.  

The same thing is true of our learning...You can’t win if you don’t play. What does that mean?  To me, it means two things: 1) ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT. Students need to be at school - every day, on time, so they won’t miss out on important opportunities for learning; and, 2) PARTICIPATE!  At North Tama, we have so many wonderful ways for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom.  I challenge every student to take advantage of North Tama’s unique “Plus One” days. This is an opportunity that students in most school districts simply don’t have. I also challenge every 7-12 student to participate in in at least one sport, at least one club or organization, and at least one fine arts activity. Students that participate in activities are more likely to have higher academic achievement, less likely to drop out of school, and more likely to become involved members of their communities as adults.

Parents can make a big difference in a child’s education by doing their part to encourage good attendance and participation. They can encourage their children to participate in opportunities like “Plus One” days and extracurriculars, and provide the necessary transportation, resources, and support. While all students may need to be absent from school on occasion, parents can also play a critical role in ensuring good attendance. Here are some tips for good attendance provided by the National Association of Elementary School Principals:

1. Plan ahead when scheduling vacations. Take a look at North Tama’s school calendar – there are several three-day weekends and even longer breaks during the year that will allow family fun without having to miss school. Also, plan ahead when it comes to parents and siblings’ appointments – does every child in the family need to go if the appointment is just for one family member?
2. Prioritize your schedule. Many times, doctor appointments can be scheduled to take place in the hours immediately following school or on Saturdays. At minimum, appointments can usually be made so that a student misses a half-day of school rather than a full day.
3. Have a regular bedtime. Establish an evening routine that includes time for reading and other activities that help your child to become calm and relaxed before bed.
4. Teach organizational skills so your child can get out the door with the proper materials, homework, etc.
5. Encourage healthy habits. Make sure your child has breakfast and nutritious snacks. Emphasize hand washing and cleanliness each and every day.

I hope you find these tips to be helpful. Do you have another tip to share, or a comment about this article? You are welcome to visit my blog at http://redhawksupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my Star Clipper columns and leave comments if you wish. I also occasionally post pictures and other content that is not submitted to the paper or additional information that expands upon what was submitted to the paper. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.  We at North Tama truly appreciate parents’ efforts in teaching their children the importance of good attendance and participation. Let’s make every day count!