The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Paul P. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Observe - Local Meeting
Observing a school board meeting wasn't exactly my idea of a fun evening event. However, the fact that is was the second to last meeting the Lake Orion District would hold this school year made it necessary to do so. Looking back, I'm glad I went. Although I may never become directly involved with the local school administration, I believe that the better understanding I have gained of the processes at work behind them will be extremely beneficial.
The school board meeting was less of a court session than I had assumed and more of a public presentation. It was started with a farewell to all retirees who had worked in the Lake Orion school district. They all received a gift bag and a bouquet of flowers, as well as a hearty applause from the audience and a couple of warm hugs from the board members. It was a happy start to a long (but interesting) board meeting.
Next on the agenda was a discussion about AdvancED, a program that evaluates the quality of education within schools. Receiving its accreditation is not mandatory, but only improves the prestige of a school. The excellence of education is determined through interviews with various employees, students, and parents; through document reviews and school visits. Also, through an evaluation of a school's mission statement and the effort the school is making to meet it, and more. Lake Orion high school passed with flying colors. They received numerous commendations from the examiner, and will be receiving 5 years of accreditation if the examiner's prediction proves true.
After that, a person came up to explain more about the mandatory accreditations for our Michigan schools, including at the federal (Adequate Yearly Progress) and state (Ed Yes) level. They stressed how painstaking and complex these programs are, and I have to say that I agree with them. The Lake Orion schools were hard pressed to meet all of the proficiency requirements given by AYD. Meanwhile, several other schools simply lowered their standard of proficiency and met the requirements easily.
In less than six years, Lake Orion will be federally required to achieve 100% proficiency among its students. Ironically, 100% is an adjusted percentage, so although it will look great when presented to the public, it's not at all that it seems. The fact that this percentage takes into account all schooling subgroups, including special Ed students, students for whom English is a second language, and other similar minorities makes the requirements more and more illogical. AYD blankets the whole educational system with one huge requirement, something that is impractical at best. The state requirements weren't much better. The school hoped that at least at the state level they would be able to switch over to a more realistic program.
Then came the public hearing and presentation of the 2009-2010 budget. Things looked steady, despite the economic downturn. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (The preferred terminology for the Obama Stimulus Package) would make sure that over the next several years, whatever income was lost due to a decrease in tax-related revenue would be made up for by the federal government. Because of this, along with their cautionary budget surpluses over the last many years, their school would not be for want of income during these hard times. At least as long as their budget is maintained with frugality.
They went on to explain all of their expenditures and income, as well as give a budget forecast for the years they'd be facing ahead. The union negotiations were not yet finished, so their statistics were not final. They ended on a positive note, emphasizing their stability and flexibility, as well as their desire to continue to receive input from the staff and the local community during this time.
After this came congratulations for the award-earning and contest-winning students of the Lake Orion schools, in all areas from sports to the arts. Then came a recap of the state superintendent's visit to the Lake Orion school district, which went very successfully. Near the end came an opportunity for the public to approach the board. It was after an argument for the retention of middle school choir that I had to leave for the night.
I'm glad to have been able to observe a school board meeting and learn more about what it entails. Our country puts a lot of stress on keeping meetings, sessions, and various government activities open to the public. I thank God for our nation and am blessed that we can have a part in it.
