On my dad

My dad Bill O'Connell, me, and my mom

My dad died Saturday.

We buried him today. Here is what I said at his funeral:

The second February Worcester School Committee

 Yes, it's taking me about a week to get to these. It's budget season...
Hey, do note that due to this being a Leap Year and February having five Thursdays, there is NOT a Worcester School Committee meeting Thursday; you can have this week off. There is, however, a Teaching, Learning, and Student Success meeting on Monday at 5 pm.

The February 15th agenda can be found here; the video is here.

And there's a Worcester School Committee meeting this week

 And while I again will not offer commentary, this week is going to be the week if we see if the Committee caves to being ombudsmen. As a reminder, items filed by members per rule 26 of the Committee:

...shall be under the purview of the Committee, focus on the business of the Committee, and should be concise and specific. Members shall not file items that can be disposed of via contact per rule 9. Items not following this rule shall not be placed on the agenda.

The agenda is here.
The report of the superintendent is on the implementation of the Family and Community Engagement framework. 

Notes from the November Board of Ed: family engagement

 report from the family engagement summit
Riley: "parents are more than ready to be involved...they are the sleeping giant in education"
Deputy Commissioner Robinson whose opening comments we entirely missed as we couldn't hear them

"vision casting"
every registration had to have families registered
"families were so encouraged to have the Commissioner present"
Rachelle Engler Bennett (Associate Commissioner): work to strengthen work in this realm
Department developed a cross-agency framework
Office of student and family support: team of 20 supports
Olga Lopez, Family Engagement Specialist
summit had 400 participants; 37 workshops offered; 29 districts participated

Mary Stewart "family engagement...is a strategy for school improvement, it's a strategy for student success"
"communication isn't the only thing" as how parents parent also matters
"incredibly positive experience"

Robinson: all gathered together, focused on student success
Stewart: practitioners to get that experience of having that with families; to share power with families

Hills: what do you want to see a year from now?
Lopez: families engagement, sitting down together, not afraid to share their ideas

Mohamed: what does access look like?
Lopez: different initiatives, outreach coordinators reaching different families
train a trainers, teach school districts how to engage with families

Canavan: communication and access
school council meetings during the workday: I had some flexibility but not everybody does
how do we share information and how to do we create pathways
Lopez: did a lot of focus groups before putting it together
"we did everything we had to know"
back and forth here about if the Friday was a criticism
Lopez: the school districts did the job of bringing the families
districts in some cases provided transportation
Robinson: "what do you need?"

Moriarty: school councils: to create more parent engagement
"I'm not sure after thirty years if this has come off as well as we'd hoped"
Engler Bennet: need to provide multiple vehicles for engagement
Stewart: site council finds under the purview of the school committee
"that's a big part of it"
Lopez: provide maximum opportunities to be successful

Plankey: love the fact this work is getting the spotlight that I think it deserves
certain point at which students can act as decision makers and advocates
to what extend were students participating?
Lopez: we tried to bring a group of youth; something we have to work on
Plankey: more opportunities
"I'd love to see students involved in this conversation"
notes expansion of statewide student voices: student advisory council; now also Mass Association of Student Reps, Mass Student Union 
would love to see actual student representation on school committees, back by a student advisory, as required by law 
Riley ties back to visioning committee

Stewart: parent involvement, engagement as envisioned by education reform law
would love to see student-led parent-teacher conferences
establish core beliefs, shared understanding from the start, bringing people to the table
notes her own seat is a result of long advocacy to ensure parent voice is at that table

October Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting: opening comments

Agenda 
Video

Chair Craven is remote

Public comment: single one asking that Boston add more exam schools, and complaining about "unleveling high schools": "no one cares about advanced children in this state"
"This Board doesn't engage; this is about accountability"

A few notes from tonight's Worcester School Committee meeting

As always: my perspective and this doesn't include everything. Please enjoy the nice view that was outside my window, which you couldn't see because it would throw the lighting off:

Tonight's Report of the Superintendent was priorities and strategies as part of Dr. Monárrez's entry plan: what is it that is being worked on this year? If you remember Dr. Monárrez's entry plan, this is part of Chapter 2, Listening to learn. 

I'll link to the presentation once we have the updated version we saw tonight. The following is from my notes, so please forgive anything left out or unclear--my error, no doubt.

In every case, there is an organizational priority area--the what--followed by the strategy--the how--and the deliverable--the thing we're going to see at the end.

1. Workforce pipeline development: to diversify the workforce at all levels
   This will be done by a stakeholder workgroup to create a "WPS Criteria & Model for Pipeline Development" by June of 2023
2. Clarify onboarding--to have a standard of practice guidebook for support of new employees
   This will be developed collaboratively for next June
3. Student information system--to develop standard operating practice for all those who use it
   This will be created by end users and will include a coaching model for the new student information system also by next June
4. Family and community engagement--to create a framework including a model for implementation across the district 
   This will be created by a diverse group of stakeholders again by the end of the year
5. Building safety--there's already a safety audit, but this will be the creation of protocols and procedures for a safety handbook
   "we need to practice" emergency response
6. Instructional leadership--the creation of a supervision system guidebook for modeling of feedback and coaching of employees
   This will largely be created through the principal meetings
7. College and career readiness--creating an action plan for implementing the portrait of a graduate
8.  High quality teaching and learning through the multitiered system of support--a committee will review the current framework for high quality teaching and learning and develop a plan for implementation
9. Comprehensive wellness plan (3 year)--a diverse stakeholder team to design a three year wellness services and supports plan

each priority will be backward mapped to get to the end point, and there will be monthly progress monitoring in administration
there is also an intent to increase the scope of college and career, including ch. 74, career tech, early college, innovation pathways, four year graduation monitoring and post-secondary outcomes
the plan also is to create an "academic support" division within administration to include oversight of behavioral, family and community, alternative programs, special ed, and nursing
there will also be a recommendation for a positive youth development position, and a family and community engagement position

Note that among the items being considered in Governance at this time is a proposed revision to the dress code. See the proposed language here.
Among the items currently in Finance and Operations is a recommendation from administration that the next round of replacement buses--13 come off of lease this year--be propane, with a single electric bus pilot, due to questions of climate, topography, and infrastructure at this time. Also, administration has asked that if there is to be a policy change (like a change in start time or walk zone) by the Committee that would require additional buses, that it be done in the next month to allow sufficient lead time to order additional buses. 

We had a report back on security guards, from which Vice Chair Johnson asked for clarification if they're included in the security audit--they are--and that we receive a report back prior to a third year renewal on the contract with the firm that staffs them.

The draft MOU between the Worcester Public Schools and the Worcester Police Department was brought in for review and advisement (the Committee does not vote this). The Safety Task Force has also reviewed and given feedback, which Dr. Monárrez said she would also be incorporating in review, along with input from the Committee. There was also some public comment at the meeting, much of which flagged concerns of the adherence to the MGL regarding school resource officers (personal perspective: the liaisons meet the definition of a school resource officer under the section of the law, even as the liaison is a very different model, which I think is really important) in particular with regard to student safety and rights, to which there was general agreement from the Committee. On Vice Chair Johnson's motion, the item was held for reporting back after that further review; on my motion, the Committee also agreed, after agreement from Dr. Monárrez that this would be welcomed, to hire a civil rights attorney to review the proposed MOU, as well. 

Those are the highlights! 

On my mom

 

My mom, Annie O'Connell, and me 

My mom died a week ago today. 

Here's what I said yesterday at her funeral.

Mom often reminded us that her nickname in high school was “Mouse.” A good student who was president of the Future Homemakers of America, who was a member of 4-H, and who sang in the school choir, Mom was such a good girl that when her guidance counselor told her she wouldn’t be happy in the big city at art school, she instead went to SUNY Oneonta and majored in elementary education.

When Mom married Dad after college and joined him at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas, it was their apartment that became the hang-out for many of my dad’s colleagues, and that continued when Dad was moved to Hanscom Air Force Base here in Massachusetts. Mom included people; she made them welcome.

So much of what Mom did was about making sure people knew they belonged. Many of my sister Kelly’s and my friends have shared memories these past few days of coming with us to the fireworks, to the Big E, to our grandparents’ farm, to Easter dinner (or in the case of some of my college friends, to those early Easter breakfast setups), to a cookout, or to swim. Mom made circles bigger, whether at school or church or family. 

There are, I know, many here who have stashed away handmade baby clothes from Mom. There was no baby in my mom’s circle who wasn’t welcomed with something made just for them. 

And Mom loved her grandchildren; she was never happier than when she was surrounded by all eight of them, nearly all of them already taller than she, as she’d proudly tell you. She was very proud of each of you, and I hope you always know that.

When I was in elementary school, McDonald’s stopped serving root beer. When I complained to Mom about how they had stopped serving the soda I liked, she told me to “complain to someone who can do something about it.” While my letter to McDonald’s headquarters got me coupons, and not a restored root beer, her direction has, as may be clear, stayed with me. 

To Mom’s credit, when I took her advice and applied it to things like city panhandling regulation and state education policy, she never took it back.

Mom was never satisfied with simply accepting things as they were if they could be better for other people. The list of Mom simply making things happen is lifelong: Kelly’s preschool, the Sterling Education Association road race, interim Christian education director, fellowship chair, Flowers by Ann, Haven of Hope…Mom was not one to see a need and let it be. 

And from being “Mouse,” Mom became someone who asked local businesses to support a road race for the local school district, asked people to teach Sunday school, organized shared meals around common tables, ran a business that brought beauty to celebrations and times of mourning, and wrote to strangers facing cancer, all so that people would be less alone. 

This past weekend, when we were watching the invasion of Ukraine, facing the continued toll of the pandemic, and seeing so much of the continued wearying injustice of the world, I read something online about how so much injustice is interconnected, and that the good news was, then, that by unraveling our own little corner of it, we each are helping to unravel it all. Or as the Mishnah has it “It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

Mom didn’t desist from her work until the end; she was still spinning her proverbial distaff, sending notes for others suffering from cancer, until very recently. 

To do justly

To love mercy

To walk humbly with our God.

Micah 6:8

A few Worcester things not to miss this week

 I've been largely doing my WPS updates via video on Facebook and Instagram but I know that isn't how everyone actually gets their information, so I'll endeavor to do better here.

While the full Worcester School Committee doesn't have a regular meeting until May 6, the full Committee will be on for the family forum on Tuesday evening at 6:30. This is focused on the five day return of those students whose families have chosen it, which starts next week on May 3. If you have any questions, please submit them by Monday at 6 pm.

We also have three subcommittee meetings this week, all of which will report out next week:

• On Monday at 5:30, Teaching, Learning, and Student Supports meets for the second of their two meetings on the proposed sex ed curricula. There's also consideration of a few new courses on the agenda, but the first will be most of the focus, I believe. 
• On Tuesday at 4, Governance meets for a few employee requests on donations of sick time, plus the dress code, plus another section of the student handbook, plus our rules. Apparently, those are being held? 
• On Thursday at 5, Finance and Operations is jointly meeting with the City Council's Education subcommittee for (as the agenda says) items "of mutual interest." The two things on the agenda are the reopening plan (at Council request) and the FY22 budget, though do note the backup on that is the February one based on the House 1 budget. The Worcester Public Schools budget comes to the Committee on May 14; it will be based on the budget the House passes this week. 

Education hearing on remote learning

Video is online here

The Legislature’s Education Committee is holding an oversight hearing at 11 today on remote learning and K-12 schools during COVID-19. (I’ll be tuned in, may sit on the floor of my living room to recreate the hearing experience.) Here’s the agenda. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/dA41YeqFDa

— Katie Lannan (@katielannan) May 13, 2020

Chairs Senator Jason Lewis and Rep. Alice Peisch at the State House (and masked); all others participating remotely
Peisch opens: oversight hearing: to inform the committee, the Legislature, the broader public
to inform work on rest of year and next
note difficulty of situation we are; "no roadmap on how to handle this"
thanks teachers, parents, and staff "who have been patiently educating Massachusetts's students" since schools closed
Lewis: thanks colleagues, invited panelists
since mid-March, "audacious experiment in remote learning"
acknowledge efforts and struggles in making change "literally overnight"
"we know it has not been easy"
daughter who is a junior has faced a variety of challenges
laptop, internet, quiet space, two parents home, speaks English as her first language
"many, if not most of our students, do not enjoy these benefits"
have an obligation to provide an education for our students, nonetheless
"we must ensure equitable access to high quality remote learning" to all students

Important note for Massachusetts families

As announced by Governor Baker yesterday (and a multi-week joint project of the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), families whose children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals will be receiving P-EBT or Pandemic EBT beginning in May.
Note this will NOT replace meals districts currently are serving; this is in addition to this.
All students in districts that serve universal free meals will be counted in that (that means all Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and so forth public school students).
Families will get a letter from DTA in May outlining the eligibility. If families already receive EBT, the benefit will be added to their current cards; if not, they will receive a card with this benefit.
it is $5.70 per eligible student per day, or $28.50 a week.
Please note that this is NOT a public charge benefit and it does NOT impact immigration status.

A few Worcester notes

There is now a FAQ section: you'll have to go to Parent/Guardian Information (off the top)>>Frequently Asked Questions by Families (that's a new link; it's oddly under the office of nursing section).

• Seniors last day is May 27.
• Finals are cancelled.
• Graduation is at the date and time scheduled but will be done virtually. Principals are meeting with the graduation committees over the next week to discuss and make arrangements.

Also, if it's useful, you might watch my live Q&A session on MassLive Worcester's Facebook page. It's mostly Worcester, but we did get into questions like "what will it look like to go back, whenever we do?"

Sunday evening update for Worcester families

The following Connect-ed is going out to all Worcester Public School families this evening:

Grading for Quarter 3 includes work completed from January 20 to March 12. Teachers are completing report cards and special ed progress reports at this time. 4th quarter grading information will be determined in the next few weeks.
The Commissioner of Education has provided guidance to school districts changing the focus of learning from extended student learning to remote learning. Remote learning includes the completion of learning activities and projects. The Commissioner’s guidance states students should spend around 3 1/2 hours a day learning. WPS students are expected to work on remote learning projects beginning Monday, April 6. Students will not receive grades for remote learning. Students will receive teacher feedback. It is important our students continue to remain engaged in learning.
The WPS launched the new Weekly Remote Learning Plans this afternoon. Individual school’s Remote Learning Plans can be found on the district website, worcesterschools.org, and also on the drop down menu on the new WPS Mobile App.
During the period of the Governor’s Extended Mandatory Closure, educators will make regular contact with their assigned students or responsible parent or guardian as well as provide remote learning to their students.
Principals will be contacting students and families with more information on each school’s Remote Learning Plan. The dedicated WPS staff will continue to contact you to provide the message “ WPS care about our students and families.”

There will also, in many cases, be messages going out from principals of individual schools

And if you're in Worcester, and have been seeking local Coronavirus information

The Superintendent just sent out a Connect-Ed call which referenced the website. If you're having trouble finding it, it's at:

About>Departments & Offices>Nursing>Coronavirus Information https://worcesterschools.org/about/departments-offices/nursing/coronavirus-information/

It looks as though the fact sheet the City is sharing is only in English, which we're going to need to do better on.

At this point, what is the main emphasis from the Worcester Department of Public Health?
First, there remains a single confirmed case in Massachusetts. The risk of contracting this remains very low.
As for all such illnesses:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.  
• Stay home when you are sick. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

UPDATE: So let's turn this post into a FAQ, since I've seen some queries coming in.
If I know, I'll answer. If I don't, I'll see what I can find out and update accordingly.

Q: We're being told that handwashing is one of the most important things we can do. Do the Worcester Schools have enough soap and paper towels?
First, if you're surprised by this question, welcome to the world of budgeting facilties at 60% of foundation. Second, yes, the district is not going through one of the years where this is an issue, so if you're finding a bathroom or a school that is short, pass the word, as the district does have supplies.

Q: Even though we know coronavirus isn't an issue here as yet, there are other illnesses going around. How do the Worcester Schools handle cleaning during this season? 
What is called "touch surface cleaning" (aka: surfaces that are touched) is common practice at this time of year. Special cleaning happens at the request of a school or nursing department when there is a concentration of illness at a school; that has happened a few times this year, as it generally does.

Access matters

Yesterday, MassLive noted the lack of home internet access among two groups of students: those in rural areas (still an issue) and those (of low income) in urban areas. MassLive notes how Springfield and Holyoke have worked with families on this:

At the beginning of every school year, Springfield and Holyoke families can purchase internet services through Comcast at a discount — $9.95 a month, with the option to purchase an internet-ready computer for less than $150. Households with school-age children eligible for free and reduced-price lunches, all households living in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-assisted housing and low-income veterans are eligible for the Internet Essentials program.

That's in addition to Springfield having a one-to-one program from grade 3 up, with high school students able to bring them home, and Holyoke having free mobile devices in their middle schools.

As for Worcester? While the push to do work online at the secondary level is the same here, there has been no district effort to work with families on home access; it's been years since the district even surveyed internet access, let alone device access. While the student in this AP article is in Hartford, her experience is something some Worcester students experience as well:

With no computer or internet at home, Raegan Byrd's homework assignments present a nightly challenge: How much can she get done using just her smartphone?
On the tiny screen, she switches between web pages for research projects, losing track of tabs whenever friends send messages. She uses her thumbs to tap out school papers, but when glitches keep her from submitting assignments electronically, she writes them out by hand.
"At least I have something, instead of nothing, to explain the situation," said Raegan, a high school senior in Hartford.

 In Massachusetts, requiring students to depend on family access without providing such access is in violation of a free public education. Per DESE guidance of November 2016 (note that's a doc; page 10):

1. Are schools obligated to provide students with a device if one is required for learning and instruction? 

Yes. Under Chapter 71, Section 48 of the Massachusetts General Laws, schools must purchase at public expense textbooks and other instructional materials and supplies intended for use and re-use over a period of years. Schools then in turn "loan" those instructional materials free of charge to students, who must return them at the end of the school year.
Costly tools such as a tablet or other computer or graphing calculator fall in the category of instructional materials and supplies that, similar to textbooks, are intended for schools to purchase and use and re-use over a period of years. If such technology is required, schools may encourage each student to purchase these devices. Students are likely to do so because they may need those devices for future classes and other use outside of school. Schools are advised to be prepared to provide such devices free of charge to students whose families do not choose to buy them or cannot afford to do so. If students need such devices to complete out-of-school assignments, schools must provide that access.

Students need such devices to complete out-of-school assignments in Worcester.

The Board of Ed meets tomorrow

You can find the agenda here.
After the opening remarks and public comment, there will be a presentation on family engagement initiatives (which so far sound like a lot of planning?).
There will be an update on the receivership districts of Lawrence, Holyoke, and Southbridge. In the case of Lawrence, John Connolly, who serves as chair of the receivership panel, is part of the presentation.
There is a report on Greenfield Virtual Charter which has its charter up for renewal; Commissioner Riley is recommending a three year renewal and removal of its probationary status, though:

As summarized below, GCVS met most of these conditions with one notable exception: Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School has failed to show significant academic improvement in mathematics and English language arts.

There is an update on MCAS, specifically around grade 10 standard setting, and the competency determination both now and moving forward.

There will also be an initial discussion around proposed changes in the accountability system (which are not described in the backing memo, so I guess we'll find out tomorrow).

The agenda also has an update on grants and one on other charter actions.

January Board of Ed special meeting: School and District report cards

Backup for this item is here, though there is a Powerpoint, which I'll see what I can do about. 
posting as we go once it starts...
Meeting being chaired by Vice-Chair Morton; Chair Sagan participating remotely. Secretary Peyser not present

Riley: a real significant effort went into this for families
Johnston: will give an overview on the current report card and why we have them
"important way of conveying school quality to parents"
"required by ESSA...to provide on an annual basis" with particular required components
"never once in my twenty years of being an educator in Massachusetts has any parent come to me and said, 'I was looking at that report card and...'"
showing current report card for Stoneham
"it's not entirely opaque, but I wouldn't say it's particularly family-friendly"
"almost an emotional reaction...what reaction do you get when you look at this information? are you getting a feeling about this school and its quality as you skim down?"
"a lot of work went into this without it really generating a lot of meaningful discussion"
Curtin: started this process over a year ago
"very quickly realised that we didn't necessarily have the capacity do this work well"
"we realized that we speak a foreign language in this building"
work with Learning Heroes on presenting information to parents
"one of the top two or three organizations I've worked with"
here to talk about how parents want to understand data, then work that they've done

Back to school again

Worcester went back to school today, marking my thirteenth year as a Worcester public schools parent. Yes, your math is correct; that means we have a senior in the house.
What it has meant to my kids to be WPS students will be up to them to tell; what it has meant to me is a sort of high-stakes road not taken. What if, instead of attending the budget meeting that was about our soon-to-be-kindergartner's elementary school closing, we'd decided to move to some nice calm place where they don't have budget battles?
One can only wonder.

I was thinking of this again today as On Point talked about the recently released study about the impact--or rather, lack thereof--of private schooling on student outcomes. What they found was:

Results from this investigation revealed that in unadjusted models, children with a history of enrollment in private schools performed better on nearly all outcomes assessed in adolescence. However, by simply controlling for the sociodemographic characteristics that selected children and families into these schools, all of the advantages of private school education were eliminated.

This has of course been directed as an argument against private school vouchers (which of course it is), but it's also more evidence, not that schools don't matter, but that early development in children and the resources devoted to them then and throughout childhood make the bigger difference. It's the books we read to toddlers and the music lessons we give to elementary school kids and the trips we take high schoolers on...it's resources devoted to kids as they grow.
Now, maybe we can't make up all of the difference through public resources, but right now, we aren't even trying. What support do we offer families before their kids turn four? We have the highest average cost of childcare in the country. We have among the lowest rates of children attending preschool in the country. We do have health care--and don't get me wrong, that's big--but we have this huge gap in what we do to ensure kids get what they need to be successful across the board in life.
And then once they're in school, what do we do for kids? Are we ensuring that kids ALL have access to the sorts of things that wealthy families do for their kids? Paul Reville's right about this much: it's about the rest of the time. And note that those families are not, in the main, spending that time (and money) on what we think of as "academics" (let alone test prep, save SATs once we get there); they spend it on sports and dance and instruments and museums and concerts...and the list is nearly endless.
What are we doing about that? Often, they're what have to be cut when the school budget is, if those items were in the budget at all. It's what "over foundation" or the fundraising advantages of a well-off PTO can make all the difference.
Among the difference between the have and have not districts is things like field trips (school budgets may still cover them in towns that can afford them, or the schools can safely assume most parents can) and band (it's a scheduling hassle as well as expensive for someone to buy instruments) and "extras" like dance (not core, right?). It seems clear that it is there among the extras, rather than in classroom, that the gaps really grow.
As much as this all seems pretty hopeless, though, I know we can do better. As I started writing this tonight, it was to the solo opening of the below. And the kid playing it has only had lessons that the Worcester Public Schools gave her as part of her free public education.

Let me tell you about my grandfather

Tangentially education-related

My grandfather Sam Dawson died this past weekend. He was 99.

Yes, this is me at three or so with Pop on the tractor.

My grandfather was a dairy farmer all his life. He got up before dawn every day--"cows don't take a day off" was one of his lines--for milk that during my lifetime went to the Hood bottling plant in Agawam. We'd wave to the trucks when we saw them on the Mass Pike, because they had "Pop's milk" in them.

But dairy farmers--family farmers in general--can't make it work just on farming. He and my grandmother always had other things they were doing. He trucked cattle. They both drove for the school district.

And, while it didn't bring in any money, my grandfather was on the local school board, before later becoming town assessor, councilman, and supervisor for their little town in the Berkshires over the New York State line.

I grew up going to the county fair with my grandparents. My grandfather is the only member of my family having any personal involvment in politics, and I didn't realize until much, much later how much I absorbed from those very, very long walks through the county building at the fair in September. I and my sister were collecting pencils with names central Massachusetts had never heard of to bring to the start of school; my grandfather was hearing about new babies and neighbors bickering and all of what sounded a lot like gossip.

But really it was about people and how people are connected and what people care about. It was about what kind of schools those babies would go to and if those neighbors had what they needed to get through the year and what sort of town we were working together to have, after all.

Because that's what politics is. It's how we work out government. And government is us.

My grandfather didn't rise to high elected office. In fact, he was dumped by the local party when he endorsed a member of the other party because he didn't think much of the integrity of person from his own party. It's among the things that makes me most proud of him.
It's people like Pop that make local government go. They don't do it for glory or power or money. They do it during long nights and weekends when they have hay to bring in and cows that are sick and kids who maybe would like to see more of them.
We can't have a civilization without them, though.

So, during this season of town meetings and budget hearings, if you'd like to do something to honor Sam Dawson, please thank those local officials hammering out your local budgets.

Rest in peace, Pop. I'll miss you.

On a personal note

If things slow down here this week, it's because my mother-in-law Cathie Novick died unexpectedly Friday night.
She would have been 68 today.
Her obituary is in today's paper here.

April Board of Education: Level 5 (focus on UP Holland)

backup is here
Russell Johnston speaking: careful planning from teachers
emphasis on students persist with their learning
Tim Nicolette from UP is presenting