Monmouth-Roseville School Board Meeting Tonight

If you wish to voice your concerns about the “Wacky Wednesday” changes in the school calendar for the 2012-2013 school year, please come to the M-R 238 School Board meeting tonight at 7 PM.  The meeting as the District Office in the old Willits School, 105 North E Street.  Don’t be late – the time allotted for public commentary is at the beginning of the meeting.

Lessons in Government Transparency by Douglas Adams

“But the plans were on display . . .”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a torch.”
“Ah, well the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard.”

If you haven’t read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, do yourself a favor and go get it NOW.  I’m going to recommend it to the Monmouth-Roseville District 238 School Board when I speak to them on April 17.

Monmouth-Roseville School Board Needs a Lesson in Open Government

I went back to the Monmouth-Roseville school district website to see what information was available regarding the March 13 meeting.  The minutes aren’t yet published online, but the agenda was available.

I read through the agenda.  The first thing that I noticed is that the public input session is at the beginning of the meeting.  So, unless specifics of the meeting are published beforehand, the public doesn’t have a chance to comment on anything being discussed and voted on in that particular meeting.  We only have an opportunity to get up and complain after the fact, which is what I’ll be doing at the April 17 meeting.

Secondly, there was NO information published in the agenda about the proposed “Wacky Wednesday” schedule change for the 2012-2013 school year.  The recommendation for this schedule change came out of the District Goals Committee, and this is all that was published in the agenda:

10.2 District Goals Committee Report to Board
Committee Co-Chairs Presentation
Recommendations
This agenda item is intended for information only. No board action is anticipated,
but the board may act upon information presented if they so move.

Does anyone see a heads-up that the council is going to be voting on a schedule change for the 2012-2013 school year?  I sure don’t.  There’s no information at all.

So far, Bobbi Uddin, who voted against the schedule change, is the only school board member who has responded to my email.  I think there are some Monmouth-Roseville school board members who need a lesson in open government.

Wacky Wednesday Comes to Monmouth

“Wacky Wednesday” is a term Peoria blogger C. J. Summers of the Peoria Chronicle used to describe a plan to dismiss students from District 150 schools 90 minutes early on Wednesdays.  While the proposed 60 minute late arrival on Wednesdays at Monmouth-Roseville schools may not be as onerous and absurd as a 90 minute early dismissal, I find this concept equally “wacky.”

If teachers want collaboration time, it should be done before or after or in-between class hours.  There are also numerous “teachers institute” days throughout the school year when collaboration activities could be organized.  Throwing off the regular arrival schedule one day every week is an unacceptable burden on working parents.  I doubt there are many parents in the district who are going to be happy with this plan.  As a parent of five Monmouth-Roseville students, I am completely enraged that this is even being considered.

This issue requires significantly greater consideration and public input before it is put into effect for the 2012-2013 school year.  Before I would even consider supporting such a schedule change, I would need to see hard evidence that cutting into classroom time with “teacher collaboration” time provides a measurable educational benefit to the children in districts where it has been instituted.

I emailed all the M-R 238 school board members on Thursday voicing my opposition to this proposal, and I have yet to hear back from any of them.  I would encourage anyone reading this to do the same.

Run for the Armoury 5K

RIP Warren County Pharmacy

I regret to report that 12/31/2011 will be the final business day for Warren County Pharmacy in County Market.

I wondered before Warren County Pharmacy opened whether Monmouth could support four pharmacies.  I’m sad to see my suspicions born out and another locally owned & operated business close its doors.  The Gracey’s are good people, and I wish them well in the future.

Congratulations Monmouth-Roseville Soccer!

I just wanted to congratulate the Monmouth-Roseville High School soccer program on a fantastic season.  Unfortunately the team lost their sectional match against Warrensburg-Latham, but there can’t be any doubt that they fought hard.  The score was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, putting the game into sudden death overtime.  The Review Atlas doesn’t have anything up about the game yet, but here is the article from the Decatur Herald & Review.

Again, congratulations to the Titans soccer program!

Wyatt Earp Photos Surface in California

Two brothers, Keith & Brian Collins, made quite a discovery at  Carriage House Antiques in Hesperia, CA.  There they found & purchased (for $50) a family photo album of Monmouth’s most famous son, Wyatt Earp.

The Collins brothers suggest that the album’s photos could fetch $1 million if sold. But they intend to keep them and lease out the rights to them.

Quite the find!

Ask and Ye Shall Receive …

Local blogger & Review Atlas columnist Stephanie Sikorski asked for positive media coverage of the Monmouth-Roseville Titans soccer program as they advance to sectional championship on Saturday.   Sikorski’s husband Aaron coaches the team.  The Titans soccer program was in the local media spotlight earlier this year, but unfortunately that was due to the IHSA suspension of star player “Chino” Ayala & the resulting forfeiture of a tie game with Peoria Manual.  Sikorski’s blog post highlights how the team has struggled through multiple adversities with little fan & community support to achieve a very successful season.

Well Stephanie, ask and ye shall receive!  I’ll add my voice, too … best of luck to the Titans on Saturday!

Blogging Forgottonia dot com

I bit the bullet and spent the money to buy my own domain.  Blogging Forgottonia is now officially housed at bloggingforgottonia.com.  I did this in part to encourage myself to start blogging again.  It was $25 for a year through WordPress, so it’s not exactly a titanic financial sacrifice.  Still, I paid for the domain, so I better make some use of it, eh?