tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75407751896477944272011-07-07T22:35:36.163-04:00Lebanon, IndianaMichele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.comBlogger591100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-23687801440124808312010-08-30T11:59:00.002-04:002010-08-30T12:11:25.364-04:00

An article in Saturday's Indianapolis Star indicates that the Lebanon Schools should be receiving $667,884 in federal stimulus money, which is processed through the state government. Sounds like great news, right? I started wondering right away what Dr. Taylor and his team might recommend to the board to make use of these funds!Not so fast. If you read closely, you'll see that Supt. of Public

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-29744853423089290652010-08-30T11:49:00.002-04:002010-08-30T11:59:08.300-04:00

We're now three weeks into the 2010-11 school year in Lebanon, and things seem to be settling down, both at my house and across the corporation. The year began with a bit of chaos, as the corporation saw increased enrollment, resulting in some elementary classes being quite large. Dr. Taylor and his team were keeping a close eye on numbers (among other things) in the first couple weeks, and he

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-71716094147948123152010-07-30T10:01:00.002-04:002010-07-30T10:26:27.165-04:00

Last night I had the privilege of attending a dinner for "Feeding our Future", an effort spearheaded by The Caring Center. As most local readers will know, The Caring Center is a local organization that helps stabilize families in need, and all their work is in Boone County. Part of the evening's program was an update on a pilot program that ran in the spring called Kids at Table, or KAT. KAT

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-46912504538065862812010-07-08T16:48:00.002-04:002010-07-08T17:08:43.421-04:00

As I have written previously here and here, the board approved a package of renovation projects, and the community will vote on the projects in the Nov. 2 election. Because of changes in Indiana law, school corporations are not allowed to use any taxpayer funds to promote passage of a capital projects referendum. Employees of the school corporation can provide information about the referendum

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-32835598910871071712010-07-04T10:45:00.003-04:002010-07-06T23:14:27.810-04:00

There's a great story on page one of today's Indy Star (it's a print-only story or I would link to it) about preschool education in Indiana. Indiana is one of only 8 states not to fund preschool, and kindergarten is not even required. As a result, only 20 percent of Indiana preschool-aged children are enrolled in preschool, while in Oklahoma it's 87% and in West Virginia 73%. Early childhood

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-51795323668374751392010-07-01T15:24:00.004-04:002010-07-02T23:20:02.658-04:00

My board colleague Alan Cragun officially finished his term yesterday, after 20 years on the LCSC board. As anyone knows who has worked with a very experienced co-worker, there's no substitute for institutional memory, and Alan has plenty. He and I did not always agree, but he was a very professional board member who focused on the good of Lebanon students, and working with him was a pleasure

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-47043952543809185222010-07-01T13:31:00.007-04:002010-07-02T23:20:38.582-04:00

It's all very exciting! At last month's regular meeting the board held a "1028 hearing," in which we authorized putting a question on the Nov. 2 ballot in which the community will vote on a building renovation project.These renovations have been in the research and planning stage for some time, but until the 1028 hearing, nothing was official. But it's official now, and the next few months will

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-9026480100132603542010-07-01T13:21:00.003-04:002010-07-01T13:30:56.634-04:00

I've had the chance to attend a couple one-day seminars recently, and came away with some good information and ideas. The Indiana School Boards Association puts on these events to help board members keep up with current issues, and it gives us a chance to talk with members from other boards and compare notes a bit.In a School Law seminar I learned that school property, although it's paid for by

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-48086128677672583432010-06-02T13:30:00.001-04:002010-06-03T09:19:47.610-04:00

The proper role of the board is a fundamental question. I think about it often, and no doubt I'll be learning about this central issue for my whole tenure on the board. The traditional way of saying what the board does is that it "sets policy." But what does this mean in the day-to-day life of a school corporation?Here's a little bit of my thinking about the role of the board. I have been

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-39056664483841702912010-04-29T13:56:00.004-04:002010-04-29T14:02:33.263-04:00

My colleague Tom Merritt is running for a second term on the board. Tom is an exceptionally good board member: engaged, hard-working, willing to spend time on issues that need board attention (even when they're not that interesting!), and truly interested in various points of view. As a small business owner and employer (Merritt Construction) and the parent of one LHS graduate and four LCSC

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-77895279348335338352010-03-31T09:44:00.003-04:002010-03-31T10:10:57.713-04:00

Last night was the first of three community meetings to inform the community, and get input, about planned renovations in the Lebanon schools. This has been in the works for a couple years, and now we're really seeing the projects moving ahead ... but they can only be completed with community support.Here are some FAQ which were distributed night, cut-and-pasted from the corporation web site:Why

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-19539895178226110422010-03-26T08:34:00.006-04:002010-03-26T13:35:41.572-04:00

A couple weeks ago the superintendent presented to the board and the community the proposals to meet the $1 million shortfall in our general fund for this year. Here's the full proposal, and I encourage any reader to take a close look. Print it out, highlight it, add question marks, add and subtract some numbers, and let me know what you thinkHere are some highlights:The state is sending us

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-62289905360478608062010-03-03T08:00:00.009-05:002010-03-03T21:30:05.356-05:00

I haven't posted in a while, but not because I haven't been thinking about and working on school board matters. Quite the opposite. The statewide budget crisis that I wrote about a month ago is on my mind all the time.As I read about cost-cutting (read: people being put out of work) measures at districts around the state, my heart sinks and my blood pressure rises. How did it come to this?

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-25032287772104390262010-02-02T08:31:00.003-05:002010-02-02T08:42:32.098-05:00

Just about every day now the paper carries a story about a school district (or several) announcing its proposal to cope with the funding crisis that is hitting every single district in the state. Lebanon is working on this as well, as I have mentioned in several posts. LCSC CFO Charles Tait has posted the handout he's been using at the meetings with staff, which has some very helpful

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-25970089703346981392010-01-27T19:54:00.013-05:002010-01-28T10:01:40.119-05:00

A reader on Lebanon Chatter asked me to explain some basics of school finance, specifically how the different funds in the corporation budget work. I'm happy to do this, and hope it's helpful. The information below, in green, comes directly from LCSC Assistant Superintendent/CFO Charles Tait's explanation on the school web site. I have edited a bit for ease of reading; please go to his page for

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-1047343554612825452010-01-20T09:22:00.004-05:002010-01-20T14:48:29.456-05:00

The effect of last night's board meeting was whiplash, with plenty of good news followed by some grim realities. Here's the good news: Central Elementary and Lebanon Middle School selected as four-star schools, LHS recognized in U.S. News and World Report as one of America's Best High Schools. This on top of Mr. Byron Ernest being selected Indiana's Teacher of the Year and LCSC's selection as

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-86994416366948427042010-01-20T08:57:00.004-05:002010-01-21T20:07:42.450-05:00

The proposed education reforms reported in today's Indianapolis Star could have far-reaching impact. In order to apply for federal "Race to the Top" funds the state had to put together a package of aggressive reforms. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett promises that these reforms are his agenda, whether Indiana get the federal dollars or not.I heard Dr. Bennett at a

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-84686247924125133782010-01-13T17:06:00.001-05:002010-01-13T17:08:24.898-05:00

This is a first, and a wonderful distinction for our high school and community! Many congratulations to the LHS administration, teachers, staff, and students.

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-33533412789886258602010-01-13T14:55:00.003-05:002010-01-13T15:23:56.647-05:00

Great news! Today the Indiana Department of Education released the list of four-star schools for 2008-09, and both Central Elementary and Lebanon Middle School were included. This is the first time LMS has achieved four-star status.According to the DOE, "Four Star Schools are those public schools who meet AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) under NCLB (No

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-16420258965413063872010-01-13T08:54:00.004-05:002010-01-13T09:29:09.294-05:00

... as if you needed more!As reported in this story, graduation rates in Boone County high schools are among the highest in the state, over 90%.There was also a nice item in Monday's Lebanon Reporter about LHS principal Kevin O'Rourke and assistant principals Kari Ottinger and Chad Briggs scraping the snow and ice off student cars in the parking lot as school is letting out. A parent waiting to

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-23140256493609283532010-01-08T11:25:00.003-05:002010-01-08T11:31:51.547-05:00

First of all a big shout-out to the bus drivers (and the whole transportation department, headed up by the very capable Mrs. Becky Nugent), and the grounds crews (LHS's parking lot was plowed beautifully this morning) who work extra-hard when the weather turns foul. You're great, thank you so much!Second, I'm thankful that I don't make the decision about whether to close, delay, or early dismiss

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-36685919052754344572009-12-22T20:43:00.002-05:002009-12-22T20:52:22.682-05:00

I saw this article today, with information that new federal guidelines will require high schools to "show how they increase both college enrollment and the number of students who complete at least a year of college."This will be very interesting data, and I'm looking forward to seeing it. But I hope the feds include some money to help schools collect the data, because there's plenty of work

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-53570846101398511332009-12-21T13:48:00.002-05:002009-12-21T13:55:32.848-05:00

The board approved adding AP (Advanced Placement) English to the LHS curriculum starting next year. This year is the first year for AP European History. As Lebanon High School adds more AP courses, this is an interesting discussion about the merits of this program. My hat is off to Kevin O'Rourke (LHS principal) and his staff for offering the most rigorous courses. I like the idea of

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-69627573100884558762009-12-18T08:00:00.003-05:002009-12-18T08:40:41.937-05:00

The Indianapolis Star is running an article on Sunday (print-only) about school superintendent pay packages. Their job is to sell papers, so they're teasing the story with lines about superintendents having "CEO-like perks."On the web site today the Star has an interesting chart showing base salaries of 44 metro-area superintendents (including Lebanon's), with links to benefits details and pdf

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-53128761377415972612009-12-08T22:11:00.003-05:002009-12-09T13:00:40.314-05:00

Yesterday I spent a full day at Lebanon Middle School, and in the past couple weeks I've also spent a day (each) at Harney and Central elementaries. There is so much to learn from spending time in the schools. Observing classes, talking with staff and students, checking out the cafeteria, the library, and the art on the walls helps me understand what's happening in that school, every

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-74480466918060785472009-12-03T08:39:00.002-05:002009-12-03T08:43:47.137-05:00

Dr. Taylor announced last week that the graduation rate at LHS for last year was 90.03%! This is a tremendous accomplishment, since only four years ago the LHS graduation rate was 80%.Many congratulations to LHS principal Kevin O'Rourke, his capable, energetic staff, and the LHS students for this wonderful accomplishment.(In case you're wondering where this figure comes from, the state

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-47841947278351093242009-12-03T08:04:00.005-05:002009-12-03T09:33:14.956-05:00

The board had a work session Tuesday with the team from Schmidt Associates architects, who we've hired to get us through this first planning phase and a probable referendum vote.The short version is that Lebanon High School is 51 years old. While it's been maintained well, it needs renovation to insure we can get 20-30 more years of useful life from the building. That is the goal of this

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-45867471018937506642009-11-16T16:23:00.002-05:002009-11-16T16:31:22.545-05:00

Well, the combination of a trip during Lebanon's fall break, a bout with H1N1 and final preparations for the Lebanon Follies means my blog has been neglected. Sorry about that! (Follies performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 in the LHS Auditorium. It's a great chance to see some local talent, and to heckle me!)I attended the dinner for

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-27939245169624452982009-10-21T13:20:00.003-04:002009-10-21T14:34:05.665-04:00

Our October 20 regular meeting was not broadcast on Channel 19 as it usually is. Not sure why that is, but I'll hit some highlights here.After a year of hearing from different architects about the needed renovations at LHS and Central, we voted to contract with Schmidt Associates school architects to work on facility assessment and survey, conceptual project design, community input and

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-35047624373835100372009-10-21T08:08:00.002-04:002009-10-21T08:14:19.066-04:00

Tom Friedman's column in today's New York Times argues that the indispensable workers of the near future will be those with the imagination and problem-solving skills to take on the structural changes in the economy.This argument melds well with the presentation I discussed a couple posts ago, by Dr. Yong Zhao of Michigan State University. Friedman says "our schools have a doubly hard task now —

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-54838591191489021452009-10-12T10:19:00.002-04:002009-10-12T10:26:58.489-04:00

In recent years schools have been more-or-less forced to adopt "zero tolerance" policies regarding students having anything in school that might be used as a weapon, or any type of medicine.This can take ridiculous forms, as this article in today's NY Times illustrates. I know I can't send my children to school with an ibuprofen or a cough drop in their pockets, and last week I made sure to

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-67729117900476007422009-10-09T14:57:00.003-04:002009-10-09T15:27:10.421-04:00

It's interesting to write a blog post while my kitten is roaming around the computer desk, walking on the keyboard and sitting in front of the monitor!On to the topic. A column in today's Indianapolis Star reminds readers that quality schools are closely related to property value. In fact, the author asserts that, "Property values are driven primarily by the reputation of the local school

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-34905788184345062072009-09-30T13:18:00.006-04:002009-10-01T11:25:12.134-04:00

Are America's schools failing our children? Are the Chinese and Indians beating us right, left, and center? Dr. Yong Zhao says, "No!"Dr. Zhao, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, gave the keynote at a conference I attended this week. The presentation is taken from his book, and both are titled Catching Up or Keeping the Lead: American Education in the Age of

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-29376084799708407322009-09-23T09:12:00.005-04:002009-09-24T08:13:08.996-04:00

The idea of national standards for high school curriculum seems to be gaining ground. With a country increasingly mobile and information-based this may well be a good idea, but it certainly runs counter to American traditions of "local control" of education.Local control has already gone out the window in many respects with the adoption of state standards for K-12 curriculum and increasing state

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-60966829094814214312009-09-23T09:03:00.002-04:002009-09-23T09:08:42.708-04:00

Congratulations to Mr. Ernest and the staff of Lebanon High School on this wonderful recognition! Mr. Ernest will go on to the National Teacher of the Year competition in Washington, D.C.Here's the link to some coverage:http://www.indystar.com/article/20090923/LOCAL0202/909230367/1013/NEWS04/Top+teacher+encourages+devotion+to+agriculturehttp://www.reporter.net/local/local_story_265212608.html

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-88471397068138048972009-09-18T11:41:00.003-04:002009-09-18T12:04:48.566-04:00

Confession: I love fooling around with test score data--something I carry with me from my first professional job. I can spend a long time looking at numbers, percentages, comparisons, and all the ways these data are sliced and diced. So when new test scores come out, I usually spend some time looking them over.The ISTEP+, Indiana's state test for students in grades 3-8, was changed last year,

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-87504006576803273402009-09-18T07:42:00.004-04:002009-09-18T08:10:08.895-04:00

Most people have an opinion about school calendars. Many adults recall a school year framed by Labor Day and Memorial Day, but memory is not very reliable. I'm pretty sure I went to school through mid-June, in Michigan in the '70s.The school year in Lebanon starts pretty early--August 10 this year, August 9 in 2010. Mr. Bob Ross will present potential school calendars for the next few years at

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-13116677785761014002009-09-16T09:30:00.004-04:002009-09-16T10:37:49.480-04:00

Last night's monthly meeting included the final budget approval and plenty of other news. Here are some highlights:Mrs. Sue Hipple, custodian extraordinaire at Central Elementary, was honored as the corporation's first "Employee of the Month." This award will recognize an outstanding classified employee (those who aren't teachers or administrators). Mrs. Hipple is a cheerful, efficient,

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-54218551318115701552009-09-07T13:07:00.002-04:002009-09-07T13:13:32.905-04:00

Tomorrow President Obama will address students at a high school in Arlington, Va., and his talk will be broadcast live on the internet. It is being made available to every school corporation in the nation. There has been a bit of a kerfuffle about this, with some claiming the president will try to indoctrinate schoolchildren with his ideas about some political matter.Today the White House made

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-5662319383744359492009-08-28T13:33:00.003-04:002009-08-30T16:58:13.382-04:00

Mr. Byron Ernest, who teaches agricultural science at LHS, is one of ten finalists for Indiana's Teacher of the Year Award! Here's a link to today's article in The Reporter: http://www.reporter.net/local/local_story_240020247.html (This is a shorter version of the story than what appears in the print version.)Here is the announcement of the top ten candidates from the Indiana Dept. of Education

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-80565540806837963122009-08-27T08:02:00.003-04:002009-08-27T08:15:16.758-04:00

There's an article in today's Indy Star ( http://www.indystar.com/article/20090827/LOCAL0101/908270441/1013/NEWS04/Health+premiums+slam+Carmel+teachers) about the challenges of dramatically rising health premiums in the Carmel schools. Schools and other public entities are caught in a real squeeze on this issue. Our general fund is completely determined by the state, and of course we want and

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-69395756195069163522009-08-19T10:55:00.004-04:002009-08-19T11:23:32.673-04:00

We got important information last night about the H1N1 virus. Dr. H. "J.R." Servies Jr., the public health officer for Boone County, gave a presentation on what is anticipated and plans for response. Keep an eye on local media as this situation develops. There should be vaccine available by the end of October, but not for everyone. Vaccines will be free, and will be available only at local

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-84477670066385585812009-08-05T14:47:00.004-04:002009-08-05T22:15:28.507-04:00

As we approach the first day of school (Monday, August 10), it's good to remind Lebanon families that there are a couple changes taking effect.First thing is the dress code. The discussions about "standardized dress" last year resulted in changes to the LCSC dress codes. The dress code was written by teachers and administrators, and approved by the school board. Families are being notified in

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-65528209604819708912009-07-21T16:03:00.022-04:002009-07-22T21:52:10.709-04:00

Our July meeting was as close to "routine" as I've seen the board get. We paid the bills and approved the hiring of some teachers and other personnel. We also approved a resolution to advertise the budget for 2010, which is a legal requirement (the resolution, the advertisement, and the budget are all legal requirements). The board met in a long budget workshop last week and went over the

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-43943580239705029482009-07-12T17:15:00.006-04:002009-07-14T17:14:57.277-04:00

While I haven't been posting on this blog for the past year or so, I have written a couple columns about education issues for the Reporter. My most recent, about the variety of programs available at LHS, is available online here: http://www.reporter.net/archivesearch/local_story_157003816.htmlAn earlier column with some basics about the very complicated process of school budgeting was published

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-6652996266406946452009-07-12T16:11:00.005-04:002009-07-12T16:30:47.392-04:00

I thought it was about time to start using this blog again. One year into my term I've learned so much, but I've also learned how much more there is to know.When people ask me how my work on the board is going, I tell them that it's interesting and challenging, and that I'm confident we're making good decisions for the students and staff of LCSC. The past year included several issues that

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-58401691559224555492008-05-07T12:23:00.004-04:002008-05-08T07:05:30.000-04:00

I am so grateful for the support I received during this election--thank you to anyone who trusted me enough to vote for me.Over the next couple months I'll be on a steep learning curve as I get up to speed on board responsibilities and the issues facing the Lebanon schools. I hope I continue to hear from LCSC patrons as I take office. When I begin something new, I try to spend as much time

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-3900838043241850602008-04-24T11:15:00.000-04:002008-04-24T11:12:38.390-04:00

(Please note: I leave this post at the top of my blog so that new visitors can easily see this information about me and my candidacy. Thanks to return visitors for their understanding!)I'm interested in hearing from Lebanon community members, but I want you to know something about me as well. So here's some basic information:I grew up in a family of seven children in Michigan. I earned a B.A. at

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-54062781958084753442008-04-23T11:10:00.000-04:002008-04-24T11:13:29.049-04:00

The campaign is now in its final weeks! Some people have voted already, and most of you will go to the polls on May 6.Remember how the school board races work:All voters in the Lebanon school corporation boundaries vote for all seats. Myself, Michael Burtron, John Rice and Shane Conner are running for the two City of Lebanon seats; Dave Herr is running unopposed for the Perry Township seat.

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-2042805428830276352008-04-06T18:07:00.002-04:002008-04-06T18:12:04.513-04:00

It's 30 days until the May 6 election, and the first day yard signs are allowed in Lebanon. So my family and I drove around town today "planting" yellow and black yard signs. If you have one--thank you for your support! If you'd like one, e-mail me at the address to the right and I'll bring one over.Remember, if you want to vote in the May 6 election, you must be registered by Monday, April 7.

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-33619376956559075172008-03-19T09:15:00.004-04:002008-03-21T10:40:53.566-04:00

At last night's board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Bob Taylor gave his "State of the Corporation" talk, covering everything from enrollment numbers to programs under consideration. It's a good idea for any large organization to take stock once a year or so, and this kind of overview is probably helpful for Dr. Taylor himself, as well as the board and the larger community.Dr. Taylor said they plan

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-15577597876393719362008-03-18T10:00:00.002-04:002008-03-18T16:27:18.278-04:00

Summing up a campaign in three words is difficult--especially for someone like me, who tends to use too many words rather than too few. But these are the three I have settled on, and here's why."Excellence" is about setting a high standard for everyone affiliated with the Lebanon schools. We need a school culture that encourages and rewards excellence from all students, all teachers, all

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-20495202052640092422008-02-27T10:28:00.004-05:002008-02-29T22:24:53.249-05:00

Last night our family finished the round of February "fairs": science fairs at LMS and Central, and World's Fair at LMS. I also had the chance to judge the 6th-grade Science Fair at LMS on Monday. I know there are also science fairs this time of year at Harney, Perry-Worth and Hattie B. Stokes.Here's Nina and her group with their excellent teacher, Eric Williams, at World's Fair, last week:Like

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-10158406455158554272008-02-22T09:32:00.008-05:002008-02-23T20:37:14.164-05:00

As of this afternoon, there are four candidates seeking election to the two city of Lebanon school board seats. (Remember, all voters in the LCSC boundaries vote for school board members from all districts.) The filing period is closed; the field is set.I look forward to a good campaign! As the days get warmer and longer I'll be out and about, knocking on doors and listening to Lebanon families--

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-42160918281889168912008-02-21T13:55:00.003-05:002008-02-21T17:07:20.397-05:00

At the monthly school board meeting Tuesday the new corporation Web site was introduced. It looks like a much better, more effective and professional way to access lots of school information than the previous site. You can check it out here: http://www.leb.k12.in.us/LCSC Superintendent Dr. Bob Taylor begins each meeting by giving the board and audience some "good news" about the Lebanon

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-17083921756330435302008-02-05T14:45:00.000-05:002008-02-05T14:57:18.729-05:00

I went to the Indiana School Board Association candidate forum in Lafayette last evening, with Michael Burtron, who is also running for a city seat in May. (Remember, there are two city seats, so you can support two candidates.) There was some great information presented about what school boards do, and what they don't do, and ethical guidelines for school board members.They also gave us some

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-51728779641529305742008-01-27T17:25:00.000-05:002008-01-27T22:36:26.563-05:00

And if that title didn't put you to sleep, good for you!Seriously, though, the legislation making its way through the process in Indianapolis may have a large impact on public schools as well as property owners. According to Friday's Indianapolis Star, "the plan [approved by the house] would transfer the 15 percent of remaining school general fund and transportation spending ... to the state."The

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-8280180537207301492008-01-24T20:26:00.000-05:002008-01-24T20:36:24.019-05:00

Each year the Indiana Chamber of Commerce publishes a report of the "Best Buys" among the roughly 400 school corporations in the state. Their method for doing this seems pretty comprehensive, and is explained at the beginning of the report. They take into account the tax rate, school corporation debt, spending per pupil, and several measures of student achievement including test scores,

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7540775189647794427.post-46736023631547866272008-01-23T11:05:00.000-05:002008-01-23T13:18:00.706-05:00

This morning I filed my candidacy papers!If you're confused about the composition of the Lebanon school board, which seats are open, etc., here's how I understand it:There are five seats on the board, and members serve four-year terms. Two seats are for the city of Lebanon, one is for Center Township not including Lebanon (this includes Ulen and the parts of Center outside city limits), and one

Michele Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494851895193150186noreply@blogger.com0