O.W.E. Occupational Work Experience. Not a well known program in our schools but one which has served hundreds of students over the past 40 years and continues to be a lifesaver for many.
OWE is a program of the Washington County Career Center that operates in the Marietta City Schools buildings. Its intent is to help students graduate. Students who may drop from school early. Students who, but for this program may never graduate.
The program helps these students gain valuable work and life experience and enables them to earn money while doing so. It provides an environment tailored to the student’s needs.
To be in the program, students must have a job and work or volunteer at least 15 hours per week during at least 3 school days. It requires parental or guardian permission and access to transportation to and from work.
Typically a student spends two periods in the main high school building followed by two periods in the OWE class located in the Vocational Agriculture building, followed by work on the job.
English course credits can be earned in the OWE classes and there is access via computers to a service called NovaNet where virtually any high school credit except gym may be earned. The goal is to gather enough credits to earn a diploma.
There is no such thing as a “typical” OWE student. Some have plenty of credits but their life circumstances or personality just don’t fit a regular school and classroom day. They may be in danger of leaving school just because school is not meeting their needs.
Others may be struggling to keep up in the classroom and need the extra help a smaller class size can provide. They may also have social skill needs that a classroom cannot provide.
Then there are those whose life circumstances present a real challenge that requires some adaptation. On average, an OWE class consist of 30% students who are also parents. Some are living on their own providing rent and food for themselves. Others are contributing to their family’s income to make ends meet.
Over the years many local employers have provided jobs and training and supervisory personnel to help these students. Admittedly, it is a mutually beneficial relationship. Often the students stay on with the employer and make fine long term employees.
For the student not headed for college OWE can be the perfect first step into the workforce. It can also lead to some of the best management training available as most of the employers have excellent programs. One can literally go from flipping burgers to a great entrepreneurial opportunity thanks to the training available.
Local employers have included Arby’s, Burger King, Captain D’s, Chartwell’s, East of Chicago, Influent, Izzy’s at Marietta College, Krogers, Little Caesar’s, McDonald’s, Ohio Valley Marine, ResCare, Ryans, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Zimmerview Farms.
An extensive advisory committee and many volunteers keep the program operating and in touch with employers. Names too numerous to mention have been serving for many years.
Lest one think that the course work is less challenging, here’s the assignment the most recent day I visited. Prepare a presentation about a musical artist. Pick a song, discuss the lyrics, their meaning and interpretation.
Discuss the value of the rhyming in the lyrics, the importance of the beat and rhythm and their contributions to the overall experience. Point out similes, metaphors, figurative language, alliteration and hyperbole and other linguistic characteristics the artist employed to make the song relevant and of interest.
Create a presentation board with photos, graphics, and other items that will engage the reader. Ahem.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Be Positive
I promise to be positive. I promise to be positive. I promise to be positive.
The May meeting of your school board has been moved to the 27th. Regularly scheduled for the fourth Monday, the 25th, that is a holiday. Moved back to accommodate the holiday we found it crowded too many reports that must be prepared and presented at this time of year so the date got readjusted.
This is the meeting where your board will be presented with one of the mandated twice-yearly five-year forecasts. This one will be particularly challenging.
It seems the folks in Columbus are still wrangling over a number of details that would impact our local budget over the next five years. Yet they demand we come up with the forecast and hold us accountable.
Treasurer Combs wrestles with this report every time as a 1 or 2% deviation can cause the board to take action and cut programs and lay off employees. People’s careers hang in the balance.
What originally looked like a federal stimulus cash injection to our biennium budget of 15% followed by 14% shrank under the eraser of the legislators to 8% followed by minus 2% and now looks as though it may disappear altogether. How’s that for solid input on which to plan?
But there’s more. And none of it is encouraging. And some of it may cost us money while some of it may mean yet more unfunded mandates. Things we must do and figure out on our own how to pay for them.
One of the exciting mandates in an earlier version of the legislation called for having a nurse in every building. Who could argue with that? From a safety and health point of view it would be great.
Two problems at least accompany this inspiration. First, how would we pay for the increase in staffing? And second, Ohio is in a nursing crisis. Where would we find enough nurses to meet the mandate?
Then there is the idea to extend the school year over a ten-year period. More days of school per year. Great idea. Who would like bet that teachers, aides, attendants, bus drivers and our other school year employees will voluntarily add to their work year without seeking additional compensation? I thought not. How will we pay?
But there’s an even more outrageous piece still in the pending legislation. In simple terms that even I understand it says that districts would not be permitted to reduce staff for reasons of insufficient funds.
You read correctly. If a district doesn’t have enough money to pay all its expenses, it could not reduce staff to save money. One must assume other reductions in expenditure would be the only option. Turn out the lights, shut off the water, skip buying any books, things like that.
One wonders just who dreams things like this up and with what background information? Surely someone up there knows that on average over 80% of any district’s budget is spent on personnel expenses. It’s a service business. People provide the service. People insist on being paid!
And rightly so. Even legislators. Though one also wonders if that isn’t a place where we could achieve some much needed savings at both state and federal levels. But that’s a subject for another day.
The bottom line is, your board must approve a 5 year forecast in about two weeks and your treasurer is painstakingly trying to guess it together with more uncertainties than the Kentucky Derby. And there are no winners.
I promise to be positive. I promise to be positive. I promise………
The May meeting of your school board has been moved to the 27th. Regularly scheduled for the fourth Monday, the 25th, that is a holiday. Moved back to accommodate the holiday we found it crowded too many reports that must be prepared and presented at this time of year so the date got readjusted.
This is the meeting where your board will be presented with one of the mandated twice-yearly five-year forecasts. This one will be particularly challenging.
It seems the folks in Columbus are still wrangling over a number of details that would impact our local budget over the next five years. Yet they demand we come up with the forecast and hold us accountable.
Treasurer Combs wrestles with this report every time as a 1 or 2% deviation can cause the board to take action and cut programs and lay off employees. People’s careers hang in the balance.
What originally looked like a federal stimulus cash injection to our biennium budget of 15% followed by 14% shrank under the eraser of the legislators to 8% followed by minus 2% and now looks as though it may disappear altogether. How’s that for solid input on which to plan?
But there’s more. And none of it is encouraging. And some of it may cost us money while some of it may mean yet more unfunded mandates. Things we must do and figure out on our own how to pay for them.
One of the exciting mandates in an earlier version of the legislation called for having a nurse in every building. Who could argue with that? From a safety and health point of view it would be great.
Two problems at least accompany this inspiration. First, how would we pay for the increase in staffing? And second, Ohio is in a nursing crisis. Where would we find enough nurses to meet the mandate?
Then there is the idea to extend the school year over a ten-year period. More days of school per year. Great idea. Who would like bet that teachers, aides, attendants, bus drivers and our other school year employees will voluntarily add to their work year without seeking additional compensation? I thought not. How will we pay?
But there’s an even more outrageous piece still in the pending legislation. In simple terms that even I understand it says that districts would not be permitted to reduce staff for reasons of insufficient funds.
You read correctly. If a district doesn’t have enough money to pay all its expenses, it could not reduce staff to save money. One must assume other reductions in expenditure would be the only option. Turn out the lights, shut off the water, skip buying any books, things like that.
One wonders just who dreams things like this up and with what background information? Surely someone up there knows that on average over 80% of any district’s budget is spent on personnel expenses. It’s a service business. People provide the service. People insist on being paid!
And rightly so. Even legislators. Though one also wonders if that isn’t a place where we could achieve some much needed savings at both state and federal levels. But that’s a subject for another day.
The bottom line is, your board must approve a 5 year forecast in about two weeks and your treasurer is painstakingly trying to guess it together with more uncertainties than the Kentucky Derby. And there are no winners.
I promise to be positive. I promise to be positive. I promise………
Monday, May 11, 2009
Decisions
No one awakens in the morning and actively wonders how they might mess up their day. How could they make poor decisions? How could they be part of worsening problems?
Yet most of us can look back at times when it appears that is exactly what happened. In our personal lives. In the lives of those we observe. Somebody wasn’t paying attention. At least it appeared so. The texting bus driver is a recent example. Giving money to GM or Chrysler may be others. That is yet to be determined.
It all comes down to the decisions we make. And those decisions are often based on what we consider good judgment based on our previous experience. More often those experiences are responsible for feelings we hold and our judgment is an outgrowth of those feelings. Reason often is put aside if it is considered at all.
The feelings prevail.
What do you think about public schooling versus private schooling? Your opinion is probably influenced by your feelings around what you think you know about the two systems, most having experienced only one.
Perhaps you are one who thinks private is better, knowing that those with financial ability tend to choose private when available. But what do you really know about the subject to make a good decision, money aside? Like me, probably not much.
Last week I met two youngsters who had been educated partly in private schools. They were then sent to public schools. They were jubilant in their recounting the benefits of public over private.
Band, choir, sports were highlights for them in the public schools. The socialization factor weighed heavily in their tales. Bottom line, they recognized what they referred to as, “More opportunities.”
Their parents, doubtless, believed they had made the right decision in sending them to private schools. And ultimately, another decision sent them to public schools. Which was probably a good decision as well. At least for these two students.
Recent figures indicate that over 120,000 students were transferred from private to public schools in the United States last year. Finances of the families played a major role in many of those decisions.
School boards too are faced with decisions based on finances. It seems a never-ending battle to make choices that impact the system because of a lack of funding. We are witnessing our state making education funding decisions in the face of economic constraints unlike any previous limitations. And in the state’s case, not only finances but politics play a major role. It’s not a pretty sight.
Given that circumstances change slowly over time and operations are ongoing how do boards best make decisions for schools? At the local level there are virtually no politics. At least none that are readily apparent. It all comes down to dollars and cents.
Of course there are decisions apart from financial that are important. When decisions involve personnel or sports the issues tend to get a lot of attention. When they involve policy or programming, much less so. There is less passion attached to academic programming than one might hope for.
From the outside it may appear boards have disobeyed the premise that began this piece. In fact, we do not get awake and try to figure out how to mess things up. There is at work a question with an overriding qualification that plays out in all our decisions.
Given all that we know and all that it is reasonably possible to know about any situation, the end of the day finds our decision based on just one thing. What’s best for kids?
Yet most of us can look back at times when it appears that is exactly what happened. In our personal lives. In the lives of those we observe. Somebody wasn’t paying attention. At least it appeared so. The texting bus driver is a recent example. Giving money to GM or Chrysler may be others. That is yet to be determined.
It all comes down to the decisions we make. And those decisions are often based on what we consider good judgment based on our previous experience. More often those experiences are responsible for feelings we hold and our judgment is an outgrowth of those feelings. Reason often is put aside if it is considered at all.
The feelings prevail.
What do you think about public schooling versus private schooling? Your opinion is probably influenced by your feelings around what you think you know about the two systems, most having experienced only one.
Perhaps you are one who thinks private is better, knowing that those with financial ability tend to choose private when available. But what do you really know about the subject to make a good decision, money aside? Like me, probably not much.
Last week I met two youngsters who had been educated partly in private schools. They were then sent to public schools. They were jubilant in their recounting the benefits of public over private.
Band, choir, sports were highlights for them in the public schools. The socialization factor weighed heavily in their tales. Bottom line, they recognized what they referred to as, “More opportunities.”
Their parents, doubtless, believed they had made the right decision in sending them to private schools. And ultimately, another decision sent them to public schools. Which was probably a good decision as well. At least for these two students.
Recent figures indicate that over 120,000 students were transferred from private to public schools in the United States last year. Finances of the families played a major role in many of those decisions.
School boards too are faced with decisions based on finances. It seems a never-ending battle to make choices that impact the system because of a lack of funding. We are witnessing our state making education funding decisions in the face of economic constraints unlike any previous limitations. And in the state’s case, not only finances but politics play a major role. It’s not a pretty sight.
Given that circumstances change slowly over time and operations are ongoing how do boards best make decisions for schools? At the local level there are virtually no politics. At least none that are readily apparent. It all comes down to dollars and cents.
Of course there are decisions apart from financial that are important. When decisions involve personnel or sports the issues tend to get a lot of attention. When they involve policy or programming, much less so. There is less passion attached to academic programming than one might hope for.
From the outside it may appear boards have disobeyed the premise that began this piece. In fact, we do not get awake and try to figure out how to mess things up. There is at work a question with an overriding qualification that plays out in all our decisions.
Given all that we know and all that it is reasonably possible to know about any situation, the end of the day finds our decision based on just one thing. What’s best for kids?
We / They
A local businessman approached me at a social function last week. “Do you mind talking business for a minute?” He asked. Not at all I replied.
He related a conversation he had had with someone who spoke of the intention to build new schools in Marietta. There was total dismay, wonder and lack of belief in this person’s voice. She cited reasons for her concerns.
The economy is not good. People have lost jobs. Jobs are leaving the area. Student population is down. The population is aging, etc.
She finished with a comment that concerned him most and about which he wanted to speak. The comment was, “I just don’t know how they think they can get a bond issue passed to build those schools.”
My conversation with the friend took place Monday evening. Tuesday there was an election. Not a lot of things on the ballot to bring people out. In some places there were literally no issues at all.
But in some places there were very vital issues. Places like Warren School District and Switzerland of Ohio. Districts that, like Marietta, needed support. Needed new funds. Need new buildings. And, like us, have many of the same conditions relating to the economy and jobs.
The real concern is in the way she expressed herself on this issue. The use of the word ‘they’ is what got his attention. As though she was not one of they. As though it is someone else somewhere else who is undertaking to invest in the future of the schools in her district.
It is quite valid that your board and superintendent have not really begun to tell the story about what why and how to build new buildings for your district. The details from the state are still too sketchy to begin giving cost specifics on the construction side.
But those figures are coming together. It would be safe to say at this point the investment in new buildings for the average homeowner will be under one dollar per day per hundred thousand dollars of value. Just how much under awaits finer tuning of the total costs.
You may think of it in many ways. The hot chocolate I picked up at McDonalds Wednesday cost $3.20. The gasoline I purchased Monday cost $2.33 per gallon. The newspaper you are reading cost a dollar.
However you choose to view it the investment in education always pays dividends far beyond the price paid. Generations to come reap the benefits long beyond your immediate returns. It’s not just about the kids, it’s the grandkids and the great grandkids. And your community today.
There are reminders at nearly every board meeting about just how strongly our local citizens value education. Last month we accepted with appreciation a donation of $15,000 from the Phillips PTO for the purchase of smart boards.
While that was not enough to equip every classroom, it was a very big move in that direction. Some creative use of funds may yet add enough so that every room has one of these valuable learning tools.
It has not been long since Harmar School supporters completely rebuilt their playground at considerable expense. And the Athletic Boosters have donated many tens of thousands of dollars to replace the bleachers in Sutton Gymnasium.
These contributions and so many more show that it is not ‘they’ who are doing things but we. As a community we value education and support it by our actions. When the time is right and we understand the needs, ‘We’ seem to do the right things. Just like our neighbors.
He related a conversation he had had with someone who spoke of the intention to build new schools in Marietta. There was total dismay, wonder and lack of belief in this person’s voice. She cited reasons for her concerns.
The economy is not good. People have lost jobs. Jobs are leaving the area. Student population is down. The population is aging, etc.
She finished with a comment that concerned him most and about which he wanted to speak. The comment was, “I just don’t know how they think they can get a bond issue passed to build those schools.”
My conversation with the friend took place Monday evening. Tuesday there was an election. Not a lot of things on the ballot to bring people out. In some places there were literally no issues at all.
But in some places there were very vital issues. Places like Warren School District and Switzerland of Ohio. Districts that, like Marietta, needed support. Needed new funds. Need new buildings. And, like us, have many of the same conditions relating to the economy and jobs.
The real concern is in the way she expressed herself on this issue. The use of the word ‘they’ is what got his attention. As though she was not one of they. As though it is someone else somewhere else who is undertaking to invest in the future of the schools in her district.
It is quite valid that your board and superintendent have not really begun to tell the story about what why and how to build new buildings for your district. The details from the state are still too sketchy to begin giving cost specifics on the construction side.
But those figures are coming together. It would be safe to say at this point the investment in new buildings for the average homeowner will be under one dollar per day per hundred thousand dollars of value. Just how much under awaits finer tuning of the total costs.
You may think of it in many ways. The hot chocolate I picked up at McDonalds Wednesday cost $3.20. The gasoline I purchased Monday cost $2.33 per gallon. The newspaper you are reading cost a dollar.
However you choose to view it the investment in education always pays dividends far beyond the price paid. Generations to come reap the benefits long beyond your immediate returns. It’s not just about the kids, it’s the grandkids and the great grandkids. And your community today.
There are reminders at nearly every board meeting about just how strongly our local citizens value education. Last month we accepted with appreciation a donation of $15,000 from the Phillips PTO for the purchase of smart boards.
While that was not enough to equip every classroom, it was a very big move in that direction. Some creative use of funds may yet add enough so that every room has one of these valuable learning tools.
It has not been long since Harmar School supporters completely rebuilt their playground at considerable expense. And the Athletic Boosters have donated many tens of thousands of dollars to replace the bleachers in Sutton Gymnasium.
These contributions and so many more show that it is not ‘they’ who are doing things but we. As a community we value education and support it by our actions. When the time is right and we understand the needs, ‘We’ seem to do the right things. Just like our neighbors.
Excellent
Sometimes you can look to your past to determine your future. Say what? How can that be?
Several months ago I had the pleasure of spending nearly two hours with a local business couple. I had asked about Frank Christy, a sports figure at Marietta High School in the late 1950s.
This couple has the yearbooks from many decades and knows the 50s very well. They were classmates with Mr. Christy. They had the stories and the memories to share and it was like stepping back in time.
Imagine taking your family up the hill to what is now the Middle School but was then the High School. It’s a Friday night and there is a football game. In Chillicothe.
In the parking lot at the top of the hill you gather with other local families and there are two squad cars from the Washington County Sheriffs Office. One of them will go to the foot of the hill to the stoplight. The other will remain at the top of the hill to be the last car to leave the lot.
At the appointed time the procession begins and the traffic leaves the hill headed for Chillicothe and a great night of football rivalry. A cruiser in front and one in back to guide the flock.
The procession never stops for a stop sign or red light the entire trip. Radio calls have local police positioned to protect the intersections and the procession goes right on through with their help.
I’m told this was not an isolated event. It happened often And it was not just a Marietta phenomenon. Other communities with great teams were accorded similar concessions. The pride in team and school ran deep. It was hard won, earned and respected. There was no Super Bowl but everyone knew who the best teams were.
That pride in team carried over into the classroom. An eagerness to learn was encouraged by enforcing strict adherence to academic achievement. And that eagerness spilled over to the non-athletes as well. There was a sense of pride in achievement. Of being associated with a winning team.
This story could just as well be told about the days when our marching band had 200 members. Or when our forensic team earned statewide recognition. Or many other individual distinctions that have come our way by excelling in one or another category.
Admittedly it takes a fortunate combination of able participants, talented and willing coaches/teachers and community support to achieve such stellar performance. Some of those components are determined more by chance than choice. But we can always look at our resources and determine what is important to us and how to make the most of our current assets.
While the subjects of new building possibilities, funding shortages and stimulus monies have been upper most on minds and in conversations lately, there have been ongoing efforts to craft a map that will give direction for the future of the district based on its current status in all categories.
Future boards and administrators will not have to guess what the community wants or needs. There will be a clear and precise agreed upon journey that can be referred to in making decisions. The direction will be known; though changeable if necessitated by outside forces. And always subject to improvement.
We may be a long way from having another team like the ones in the 50s. But we are only decisions and planning away from being excellent in the areas that are of value to us today. Finding and employing best methods and practice can take us there.
Several months ago I had the pleasure of spending nearly two hours with a local business couple. I had asked about Frank Christy, a sports figure at Marietta High School in the late 1950s.
This couple has the yearbooks from many decades and knows the 50s very well. They were classmates with Mr. Christy. They had the stories and the memories to share and it was like stepping back in time.
Imagine taking your family up the hill to what is now the Middle School but was then the High School. It’s a Friday night and there is a football game. In Chillicothe.
In the parking lot at the top of the hill you gather with other local families and there are two squad cars from the Washington County Sheriffs Office. One of them will go to the foot of the hill to the stoplight. The other will remain at the top of the hill to be the last car to leave the lot.
At the appointed time the procession begins and the traffic leaves the hill headed for Chillicothe and a great night of football rivalry. A cruiser in front and one in back to guide the flock.
The procession never stops for a stop sign or red light the entire trip. Radio calls have local police positioned to protect the intersections and the procession goes right on through with their help.
I’m told this was not an isolated event. It happened often And it was not just a Marietta phenomenon. Other communities with great teams were accorded similar concessions. The pride in team and school ran deep. It was hard won, earned and respected. There was no Super Bowl but everyone knew who the best teams were.
That pride in team carried over into the classroom. An eagerness to learn was encouraged by enforcing strict adherence to academic achievement. And that eagerness spilled over to the non-athletes as well. There was a sense of pride in achievement. Of being associated with a winning team.
This story could just as well be told about the days when our marching band had 200 members. Or when our forensic team earned statewide recognition. Or many other individual distinctions that have come our way by excelling in one or another category.
Admittedly it takes a fortunate combination of able participants, talented and willing coaches/teachers and community support to achieve such stellar performance. Some of those components are determined more by chance than choice. But we can always look at our resources and determine what is important to us and how to make the most of our current assets.
While the subjects of new building possibilities, funding shortages and stimulus monies have been upper most on minds and in conversations lately, there have been ongoing efforts to craft a map that will give direction for the future of the district based on its current status in all categories.
Future boards and administrators will not have to guess what the community wants or needs. There will be a clear and precise agreed upon journey that can be referred to in making decisions. The direction will be known; though changeable if necessitated by outside forces. And always subject to improvement.
We may be a long way from having another team like the ones in the 50s. But we are only decisions and planning away from being excellent in the areas that are of value to us today. Finding and employing best methods and practice can take us there.
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