Urgent Call to Action

At the top of the Idaho School Board Association Convention website there’s a count-down clock.  Right now the display reads 15 days, 10 hours and so many minutes and seconds left on it. It looks like a count down to a party.  The website  lists all the activities that will be taking place during the three-day conference,  Nov 6-8.

There will be an exhibit show where school board members can,

“… meet representatives and consultants from various businesses who can provide products and services to your school district. Spend time with these knowledgeable representatives and discuss your district’s situations and needs.”

A scholarship auction, an awards banquet and a variety of work shops round out the offering, including several on data:

“Demystifying Data: How to Crack it, Track it, and Use it to Improve Student Achievement and Management Oversight”

“Using Data to Make Informed Decisions”

…and don’t leave out “Implementing Recommendations For Teacher and Principal Evaluations”

(This one is vital for meeting certain requirements in our ESEA waiver, more on that later…)

And, oh look, they’re holding a class on how to convince people that Common Core (oops, I mean, “Idaho Core”) standards are good:  in “Communicating about the Idaho Core Standards”

The Idaho State Department of Education’s communications staff will walk you through the Idaho Core Standards Communications Toolkit and share key strategies for communicating with parents, patrons, and the media about the new Idaho Core Standards in your local community.  

 

However, the really interesting stuff happens during the business session.  During this time “school board members debate and vote on the resolutions that have been submitted by school districts, regions, or the ISBA Executive Board. Every resolution that is passed by the membership at the Business Session establishes ISBA’s Legislative Platform. ISBA then pursues, through the legislature, all the initiatives outlined in the platform. As a school board member, this is your opportunity to have your voice heard concerning the proposals that have been submitted.”

Although it sounds benign at face value, this becomes alarming when you look at the resolutions they have on the table.

Most troubling is ISBA Resolution Two: “Support for Idaho Core Standards.”  The resolution is a compilation of all the talking points used to promote Common Core (Voluntary, state-led, adopted by the state legislature)  – none of which are based in fact.

This is a Call to Action.  Call your local school board members.  Tell them you don’t want this Common Core resolution passed.  When you’re done with that contact the Idaho School Board Association,  tell them the same thing.

Look over this list to see who is from your region and send them a special note asking them to not support Resolution 2.

It’s time to get to work, fast.

2012-2013 Executive Board Members:

President: Anne Ritter, Meridian Joint School District President-Elect: Todd Wells, Castleford Joint School District Vice President: vacant Immediate Past President: Dallas Clinger, American Falls Joint School District

2012-2013 Regional Representatives:

Region 1 Chair: Melanie Staples, Boundary County School District Region 1 Vice Chair: Archie McGregor, St. Maries Joint School District
Region 2 Chair: John Menter, Troy School District Region 2 Vice Chair: Kim Campbell, Moscow School District
Region 3 Chair: Lori Bennett, Bruneau/Grand View Joint School District Region 3 Vice Chair: Juan (Mike) Vuittonet, Meridian School District
Region 4 Chair: Dane Higdem, Kimberly School District Region 4 Vice Chair: Lisa Knudson, Castleford Joint School District
Region 5 Chair: Janie Gebhardt, Pocatello School District Region 5 Vice Chair: James Stoor, Soda Springs Joint School District
Region 6 Chair: Lisa Burtenshaw, Idaho Falls School District Region 6 Vice Chair: Nancy Arnold, Teton County School District
Region 7 Chair: Vacant Region 7 Vice Chair: Gail Baer, Salmon School District
Region 8 Chair: Marg Chipman, Weiser School District Region 8 Vice Chair: Barbara Dixon, Meadows Valley School District