Northwest Indiana Discussion

Here are the highlights of the meeting:

All board members were present.

Special Recognition/Presentation:

Two students from O'Bannon Elementary showcased their projects for the Web-xplorers Program.
The Swede Carlson Scholarship winners were announced this evening.

Consent Agenda/Reports/Calender

Douglas Friend, the former Morton High School Principal, Has been named the Assistant Principal for Scott Middle School. Michele Rushing, the former lead counselor at Hammond High, has been named the counselor for Eggers Middle School.

Calender:

The next regular School Board meeting is monday June 24, 2013 5:30pm 41 Williams Street.

New Business:

Dr. Watkins new 2 year contract was unanimously voted in this evening.

Public Expression 2nd Session(no speakers 1st session):

1. Ms Blackmon was glad the board approved a 2 year contract for Dr. Watkins.
2. Patrick O'Rourke was glad the board approved Dr. Watkins new 2 year contract.

My take:

Congrats to the scholarship winners, and to the O'Bannon students !

Dr. Watkins should have never had his contract renewwed the last time, let alone this time. Our children deserve leadership.

How very interesting in the new assignments of Mr. Friend and Ms. Rushing. I would say this looks like a demotion, definately not a promotion.

It is my understanding that Dr. Watkins was involved in a accident Saturday near Walgreens at 173rd and Calumet. Much property damage and the SCH vehicles was totaled. I wonder if he got drug tested?

I'm not a fan of his, but that is a busy intersection so I don't know that a drug test seems necessary!?

Two more year of watkins....im disappointed. Thanks Tiger!

Inquiring minds want to know!

Our kids are the ones who are going to suffer.

I apologize for the typo's in my thread. I was sooo tired last night when I wrote this.

I didn't notice any typos...I'm just glad to get updates!

I forgot to listen to your show again today! I remembered at 6:45!

I will be on next tuesday. I wish you could have listened to tonights show, as the major subjects was the schools and the council prayers.

Going to have to write my self a reminder posted note.

It's a rockin' show ! I get to hold down the fort while my co-host is on a much needed vacation !

Is it true that the hours for the elementary schools have been changed to 9:15 to 3:15?

Yes. Also the middle/high school hours have been changed to 7:30am-2:30pm.

Who was smoking the crack pipe? An hour and 45 minute time difference between the start of elementary and middle/high school? Do they even consider what this will do to parents? Also, the older kids need a later start time, not an earlier one. All kinds of scientific research backs this up!

IMO, this is a strategic move by the SCH to eliminate some of the bus drivers. Back a few meetings ago, the SCH bus drivers showed up at the school board meeting to complain about their treatment, favoritism, spying, etc, and now this is their payback. With the big discrepencies in the start/finish time for the schools, less bus drivers and aides will be needed. Look for massive layoffs coming real soon.
This is not good for the kids or their parents. I know of many families who depend on their older children to send the young ones off to school, as the parents start work earlier than the kids start school. This could create a hazardous situation, as now some of these younger kids will have to fend for themselves. Teenagers need a later start time. They do not function real well in early morning hours.

Most school systems have the staggered start times, because they use the same bus drivers for the schools. Its a way to cut the number of drivers needed and also to cut the number of buses needed. I agree though, that is a huge gap in starting times though

someone sent this to me.


http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A ... GMU6Iw&s=1

We have just posted a press release from the School City of Hammond with important information regarding school times for 2013-2014. You can read it here.
http://hammondpta.org/PDFfiles/SCH%20Pr ... 02013-14(1).pdf
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Locals, important news for school start times next year. This is a 2 page letter stating how they have to change the school hours in order to save $700,000 in the transportation budget. o.O
HOW does this work exactly? AND it cuts quite a bit of time out of the school day of middle and high school students. They will lose almost 1 1/2 hours per school day. To save *transportation* dollars...

https://www.facebook.com/HammondCouncilPTA