I know I said several months back that I would add a forum to the site to allow users easier ways to bring up new topics and expand upon discussions launced here at the blog, Well It’s finally here.
You can view and register for the new Decatur Indiana Forum here or through the link at the top of the blog. I hope that you find the Decatur Forum a useful, informative and entertaining resource. The success or failure of any forum will completely depend upon the users and their participation. While the forum should be used to discuss issues, topic and news within the Northeast Indiana area there are sections for things that fall outside of that scope. I hope to see you all on the forum soon.
Decatur Indiana Forum Just Launched
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39 Comments
I fully commend you for having a site with local concerns addressed. I hope that you will pose a question to the City Council and the Mayor of OUR City on what ‘concrete plans’ have been and will be instituted on the pursuit of attracting good middle income paying jobs with a good benefit portfolio to the population of this City in order to keep our younger people here to raise their families and continue to live in this City. I also hope and trust that when this question is posed to OUR City leaders, that you will not settle for a ‘glittering generality’ style of answer, but instead, a get a to the point answer to the direct questions that are presented. With the way this economic situation that we are in while continuing to struggle to live in this City, WE, as Citizens, deserve absolute answers from our City elected officials to what they plan to attmept to do in order to achieve ‘Job Attraction’ and “Industrial Expansion” to this City. The last Administration of Mayor Isch had twenty years and did nothing to even try to get a “Large Industry” in this City to replace the loss of the 1989 General Electric Plant Closing that we still suffer from today! Sure, he always had his photo op in the Decatur Paper for ribbon cuttings for ‘mom and pop’ or ‘family owned’ businesses, but nothing notable of bringing large scale employment to the City’s general population. I hope with all sincereity that our new Mayor, Schultz, will have an Economic Team that will think ‘outside of the box’ to go for the growth that we need in this City in order to bring it back to the thriving City that it was until the late 1980’s. By having a full scale of good paying jobs in this City, it will expand the tax base in order to lower taxes for all as more people will be employed to pay the taxes needed for services that Government supplies to the Citizens. This would also therefore make our younger people want to stay here in Decatur to be employed and make a difference in this City in order to replace the current 9 percent Unemployment Rate that is currently this City’s unfortunate Legacy! Our Curent Economic Climate in Decatur is WAY too overloadedly dependent on Luxury Style Industries as Fleetwood Motor Homes and Thunderbird Boats that are status items for the Upper Class clientele. We need Industrial Growth of Business that is not so ‘volitale’ during a recession. While all facets of Business have ‘lay offs’ during a recession, the base needs to be made for more stable Industries to also be located in this City along with the Luxury ones.
I hope that the leaders of Decatur can attract better and high paying jobs for the citizens of Decatur, as it is very much needed. Good jobs that many can be employed at, not only 5 or 10 at the most. Atleast good jobs in the area to attract more tax paying citizens to stay or to relocate in Decatur, instead of moving away, as good jobs are not in the area. (:
What kind of jobs could be brought in? I would like to see something that Decatur could be known for – like Shipshewana or Brown County… We have such a large work force that is ” ready willing and able”…
Just wanting to know if anyone is upset with the new ideas the North Adams School System is planning for next year. I heard they want to move all the elementary kids around. They want to place pre K, K and possibly 1st at one school, grades 2 and 3 at another while grades 4 and 5 will be at yet another. If you have children in various grades like I do, that means I would have to travel across town to collect my kids if they are released early for bad weathr or other things. What time will the kids have to get on the bus now to get them to their respective schools? I could barely afford gas the way it was and now I will need to spend more. Even though it seems to be affordable now, it won’t stay that way. If they are wanting to close a school, then do it and stop playing around. They just bought the house near Bellmont and now want to close it to move those kids into a school. Doesn’t seem like the board and others involved are thinking very clearly. As for them bringin in fast food, my high school kids told me that did that every month last year. Arby’s and Pizza Hut. The school was getting the $5.oo pizza’s from Pizza Hut and then sold them my piece. If the kids wanted to buy a whole pizza, it was 8.00. Not sure how they were able to gouge the kids and the parents with a clear consience.
Just curious as to what other parents think of the new ideas for moving kids
Prices for food and other items at the schools will continue to rise as the ‘job loss’ continues to rise in this Community. The School System has to make up the revenue shortfall from those that still have jobs. YOU need to address ‘Job Creation’ and ‘Economic Job Attraction to this City’ concerns to Mayor Schultz in order to begin to have the entire ‘able workforce’ begin to have an equal sharing of the tax burden to support Education Facilities once again. Mayor Schultz was elected by an overwhelming margin of victory because the Decatur Citizens wanted ‘real’ leadership on the hard issues of bringing jobs to this Community and NOW is the time to deliver!
George, have you gone to Mayor Schultz with your concerns?
The school system had been talking about placing the kids in school builidings according to the grade level years ago. They never did it. Other schools do this, and it does work out, as you have kids that are around the same ages, and this can be a advantage for the kids. Larger school systems have done this and it does work. They will decide anyway. As for the food, it is a nice treat for the kids, as they will most likely eat it. The prices should not be raised much for the students though,but the students do not have to go out and use their gas and cars to get it either.
Merry Christmas
Hopefully some great jobs in the area for the next year, as many young and professional people have moved away as employment can not be found. Depends upon the job that you want to do. Those who are left are responsible for the taxes to run Decatur, as many companies have closed and ceased to exist, so the tax base is gone. The citizens have to make up for it.
Happy New Year!!!
Voter, thank you for your comments.
I understand that other school systems have done it, however, there is no definitive research documenting that grade level centers have a positive impact on student achievement. In the same vein, there is no definitive research that it has a negative impact either. Students would need to switch schools every 2 years. Why is the school board considering the conversion? Partly because one or more board members mistakenly think it might be good for students, but mostly to address system needs. GLCs make it easier to keep class sizes uniform by grade, which currently vary by as many as 4 students per class. Although this variation has no impact on learning outcomes, it is an issue of the fairness and equity of teacher workloads and it concerns some parents. Additionally, some teachers like the idea of grouping teachers by grade into one building. In theory, this could improve the quality of education through an increased sharing of grade-appropriate resources and ideas. It’s an extension of the concept of teacher teaming, which was an important motivation for converting to a middle school model that similarly hasn’t and can’t significantly improve academic outcomes. Teachers firmly believe the best way to improve education is to improve their quality of worklife within the current system rather than to redesign the system from the perspective of students and their individual learning needs. An analogous approach in medicine would be to focus on doctor needs first and patient needs second.
Educational research concludes that multiple transitions like this have a negative impact on student achievement. In addition, it has been found that having students be a part of one elementary school for 6 years (K-5) promotes stronger home-school partnerships and connections that have a positive impact on students and their families. Younger siblings will have younger siblings in the same school which simplifies school and parent communication. Having a range of K through 5 in the same building also promotes caring and connections between older and younger students through peer tutoring, book buddies and multiple age exra-currcular activities. In the area of State Testing, this configuration could place the school system at a disadvantage in terms of being subject to having more subgroups for adequate yearly subgroups (AYP). How will parents meet their responsibilities at multiple schools? The system will have to be sensitive to this issue by making sure Back to Schooo Nights, Parent Teacher Conferences, Open Houses, etc. are schedules on different nights or have staggering start times. Currently, Parent Teacher Conferences are on the same days at the same times. Library Media Centers are currently K-5 friendly, this could prove to be a costly and time consuming task because of the great amount of materials that will have to be sorted and relocated. Additional manpower will be needed at an increased cost for the summer months to accomplish this goal, in addition to increasing the custodial staff responsiblities on an already reduced work force who is expected to complete their assignments on time. Don’t overlook the increased transportation cost of transporting these materials. Furthermore, grade level appropriate classroom furniture would have to be moved by truck to the appropriate school. Time, cost and personnel to accomplish this would have to be considered when planning summer projects. Textbooks and other curriculum materials would need to be boxed and moved to a new building. Staff members would need to be provided with time, materials , monetary compensation to complete this task.
Fundamentally, the concept of grade-level centers entrenches and reinforces the factory model of schooling—lock-step, one-size-fits-all instruction delivered to students based on age rather than ability. Dr. Craig B. Howley notes that educating students in schools with narrow grade spans “rests on the dubious assumption that segregating students by age is a natural law of schooling.” Grouping kids by age should have vanished with the little red schoolhouse. The initiative is a step backwards from the direction public schools need to move in to meet the needs of The 21st Century Student. It does nothing to address the root cause of education mediocrity or to remove the obstacles to education quality. It perpetuates the inefficiencies of classroom-delivered instruction, where unruly pupils disrupt learning and the pace of learning is largely determined by how long it takes the slowest learners to comprehend the material and complete tests. It promotes student dependency on teachers, not independent learning. In short, grade-level centers (GLCs) have no chance of substantially improving academic outcomes. That’s because the core limitations of improved learning are intrinsic to the instructional delivery system. No amount of shifting the components around can change the essential nature of the system. Dr. John W. Alspaugh has reported, “[S]tudents involved in a pyramid transition of multiple elementary schools into a single middle school experienced a greater achievement loss than did the students in a linear transition of a single elementary school to a middle school,” although achievement scores tended to recover in the year following the transition. He has also reported higher high school dropout rates for schools with multiple grade-level clusters than for schools with elementary (K to 5 or 6), middle and high schools. Although his research is far from definitive, it serves as a reminder that most changes involve hidden trade-offs and unintended consequences. Beyond fragmenting learning and increasing building transitions, Denise Lemanski concludes:
[C]onsolidating an entire District’s student population in a given grade into a single school creates all of the negative effects of a “large school dynamic.” Some of the negative impacts scholars are documenting include:
lower standard achievement tests, and also lower overall student achievement; increased high school drop out rates; reduced family involvement in school systems; disruption to effective social structures for learning; and negative impacts to students with lower than average socioeconomic factors.
Research included in the Research File, above, suggests that GLC’s not only disrupt the social structure in which learning takes place, they also weaken the family-school partnerships considered to be essential for improved academic outcomes.
A Grade-Level Center Feasibility Study by the Prospect Heights (Illinois) School District 23 (pdf), set out the advantages and disadvantages of Grade Level Centers (GLCs) as follows:
Possible Advantages
· Each school more clearly focuses on educational/social needs of children.
· Curriculum/instruction focuses specifically on the grade level age group.
· Building facility design/usage accommodates a specific age group.
· Class size is better balanced.
· Demographics are better balanced.
· Curriculum, instruction and program are more consistent.
· May have fewer class sections within a grade, thus operational economies.
· Or, may have more class sections within a grade.
· Better mainstreaming of special education/ESL children.
· Reorganization cost savings allow real savings.
· Articulation across grade levels improves.
· Articulation across attendance centers may or may not improve.
· Eliminates competition and comparison between schools.
Possible Disadvantages
· Children no longer attend their “neighborhood” schools.
· Parents/children don’t have as much time to build loyalty for a school.
· Requires more busing.
· Longer bus rides for some children.
· Brothers and sisters may be in different schools.
· Parents may experience child-care difficulties with children arriving and departing at different times.
· Young children lose older role models.
· Primary and intermediate grade teachers’ articulation may or may not be more difficult.
· Parents may have to choose between PTA/PTO meetings and participation at other events.
· Overlap in library materials increases costs.
· Changing centers every two years is disrupting to children and parents.
· Communities like to identify with their K-5 elementary school.
· Having all students of the same grade together gives the building a larger feel.
These are just a few studies that have been conducted on Grade Level Centers.
Eve: Wow! Your expertise in this area amazes me as it does other readers, I am sure. Could the school board believe this could in some way be a cost saving venture? Or an experiment as in looping classes or multi-age classrooms?
Concerned Mom: I am really amazed that you brought up the possibility of multi-age classrooms themselves! I will tell you that this was done in the mid and late 1960’s at the St. Joseph Catholic School in Decatur! It was most definately NOT a good decision to do this at all!!! We had one class labeled as 4c-5c, which meant that it was half fourth graders and half fifth graders. NOW, it ended up that the Nun in charge of the class had to spend half the time teaching the fifth and half the time teaching the fourth graders. THIS ofcourse, results in all those students that year in that particular classroom getting only half the attention to their education that they deserved!!!! SO, to me, multi-age classrooms are absolutely a hindrance to a student getting the full ‘age and grade’ attention that they deserve, in other words, multi-age classrooms are ‘failed education’ in the educational process.
George – Don’t misunderstand me…multi – age classrooms are a horrible idea, but at least one of the North Adams elementary schools did just that a few years back! I am glad my kids weren’t in there… It seems like it’s the
” old wine in new bottles” gimmicks that educrats come up with every few years. You know what I mean. An educrat comes up with a new and interesting (in their eyes) way to teach. Next thing you know, there are books and seminars and everyone gets on the bandwagon. Sad, isn’t it? If educrats would only let teachers actually teach instead of tracking this and that…wouldn’t that be great for our kids ( and the teachers too)?
Concerned Mom: Take no offense as I was not suggesting that you were in favor of the ‘multi-age’ classroom ideologies at all. I was just surprised that this ‘failed concept’ of education is even being taken seriously to even try it any more at all!!! I feel that you and I are both in agreement on that entirely!!! Plus, the pressures on the teachers in those type of situations is terrible for all involved!!! The Nun back in 1967 that had 4c-5c at St. Joseph Catholic here in Decatur had so many pressures on her that it resulted in her being downright uncivil and angry all the time, even to the point of showing disrespect to certain students that were not her ‘pets’ and acting in ways to those unfortunate students that literally took the ’self esteem’ of those affected students away for that school year. Believe me, the things that went on from that Nun would not be allowed in the school education process in this day and age at all whether it is a Private School or a Public School System. But, to get back to the conversation here, that extra pressure to succeed put on teachers in ‘multi-age’ classrooms is just one of many reasons not to allow those concepts in our School Systems!
I hope and pray that the school system will do what is in the best interests of the children, and the teachers. (:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and pray for our country.
Merry Christmas All!!!
The Christmas Gift Everyone Can Receive
A late Merry Christmas to all and a quick note to George: It’s okay, George. I didn’t take any offense whatsoever. I think the entire purpose of this forum is to voice our opinions. We just happen to think alike!
)
I don’t have any expertise in the area, I just looked it up online to get opinions from other systems who have tried it and found alot of info. I just wanted to check it out since to every idea, there are two sides. I just thought I’d share what I learned.
Happy New Year to all. Hope everyone does well in 2009, and good things happen for all of us.
God Bless the USA
I have heard a rumor that the reason Decatur does not have a movie theatre is because someone ” owns the rights.” and isn’t building one because of the “Fort Wayne riff raff “that it will attract. I am not calling people from Fort Wayne bad people. Those were the exact words I was told. Now, I am not a Decatur native and have not lived here most of my life like most residents of Decatur. Is this true? Is this why I have to drive 45 minutes to see a movie? Does anyone know?
And one more thing…can anyone tell me why there isn’t a stop light at the 13th street and Kroger intersection? Thanks admin for letting me vent!
)
there used to be a drive in theatre in Decatur, but it was closed in the early 1990’s to make the 33 bypass. There used to be a theatre downtown Decatur I believe it was behind where the 1st State Bank used to be but now the hospital owns the building…this was located on Monroe Street. I cannot remember the person’s name who ran/owned the theatre, but I had always heard that this family held the rights….such a shame to not let anything that the families and citizens would enjoy come into town. this was what I heard over the years, as this question was brought up time to time, and I always thought it was a crock… never got a straight answer. Decatur is big enough to support a theatre, and it would be great to have a Decatur Drive In again.. there are many empty building that could be used as a theatre. Happy New Year. As for a light, I would complain to the Mayor, as it is needed there, and has been for a long time. Hope this helps somewhat, a theatre could provide jobs for the teenagers in Decatur, and help $save on gas too. the theatre that was in downtown Decatur closed I believe it may have been in the 1960’s ..not quite sure…anyone know the history of the old theatre??? I do know that the building is no longer there on Monroe Street by 1st street.
Just another comment about the “Fort Wayne Riff Raff”…aren’t they already living in the low income apts. in Decatur. Are there ads run in newspapers advertising the low income apts/housing to attract people from Fort Wayne AND FROM OTHER AREAS, TOO? SORRY THE RIFF RAFF THAT THE PERSON REFERRED TO IS LIVING IN DECATUR AT THE TAXPAYERS EXPENSE. I don’t buy this excuse that was given to you. Something to think about, and this should not prevent a theatre from opening in Decatur…sounds like a “crock ” to me.
Decatur is long overdue for a good theatre, the teenagers who date and families and others would enjoy it…just make it affordable. Just my humble opinion!!!!! 
good night.
Someone is preventing a good thing from opening up in Decatur, as this would provide jobs and entertainment to the citizens. Maybe even people would come to Decatur and shop and spend money to eat in Decatur. Maybe could even be a reason for people to relocate to Decatur. A theatre would be great for Decatur.
Just a few comments on theaters. Van Wert has a wonderful theater with 5 screens. Very reasonable in price as well. They show just released films just like Ft. Wayne. In fact, on Thursday, you bring your own container and have all the popcorn you can eat for free. On Tuesday, you buy one ticket and then the 2nd one is half price. Wednesday is Senior Citizen Day. The facility is very clean, room to walk between the rows while someone is sitting and your feet don’t stick to the floor. The draw back is, they dont’ have stadium seating like some of the theaters in Ft. Wayne and Huntington.
Here’s some food for thought, the high school theater sits empty 2/3rds of the time. They have a large screen. With the dire straits the school system tells us that they are in, maybe they should be doing some fundraising. What a deal, maybe they could show films on the weekends. It does have stadium seating and somewhat comfortable seating. Since the system is working out a deal with Decatur Park and Rec, maybe they could also have help in making money by showing movies. Of course, they would need someone to be there to run the films and sell concessions.
Funny you should mention the school showing movies. When I was in high school we did just that. Now they weren’t new releases but the theater dept showed 3 or 4 movies a year to raise funds to put on thier productions. Might be something worth looking into if you have a group wanting to raise money.
Well about moving the kids at elementary school, it seems that this will be discussed and voted on at the next school board meeting. Pre K and Kindergarten will be at Monmouth, grades 3, 4 & 5 will be at Northwest and grade 1 & 2 will be located at Southeast. I for one am not happy about this busing and this idea. As I stated before, it doesn’t increase the knowledge of the students or anything. This is simply being done to save money for the system. More teachers will be let go, I heard about 20 for the coming year. I will be at the board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13th to share my concerns. I hope you are too if you don’t agree with this idea. Afterall, we, the tax payers provide the salary for those in charge making the decisions. I think they should have discussed this decision with us.
Eve: I will be at that meeting too. I want to hear the justification of all this shuffling.I had heard that teachers witl even 10 years or more are in danger of losing their jobs. It’s a disgrace. I know NACS has a deficit, but moving children around like that would be awful for the students…just think…Little Johnny is happy about school. Knows his teacher, Miss Peach and loves her. Goes to Pre-K, Kindergarten and then moves into the unknown quality of a new entire building! Where is the sense of community thses kids need going to come from? It is hard enough on some students making the transition from BMS to BHS. How traumatic will it be to do it three more times?? And such little kids, too…Just some thoughts…
I agree. By the time they are finished with school, with this idea, they will have attended 5 schools. It just seems like this is work to put feather’s in the powers that be. You know, “I’m in charge!” Siblings who watch out for each other on the bus and at school on the playground will no longer be able to do this. They will not be able to make sure their little brothers and sisters get to the right place. What about the PTO’s? Will they now choose who they want to be on committee’s and not ask for volunteers? Will they pick those who agree with everything they want to happen and have no discussion or rebuttle? Several of my kids teacher’s are just sick. To the point their health is going down hill in addition to their emotional state. These teachers are very good teacher’s, loving, caring and truly concerned about their students. If this is a step to close a school, then do it. Don’t mess around with this plan, just to change something again the following year when it doesn’t work. Bite the bullet and do it. Of course, that woudln’t look good on their visibility report to the community. Just some thoughts.
I am for one, glad to be getting out of the educational field, as it is not a stable field anymore. I enjoyed teaching the kids, but teachers are laid off, and this is not good for the kids. Or is it good for a teacher’s career. North Adams is really rewarding the teachers…not.
Maybe the drama club or a language, or the sunshine club could show movies at the high school or even the middle school. there is room at both schools. IS there still a swim team at the high school…BHS???? HOw is that pool holding up?
Just remembered something from the 1970’s. My mom and I went to the theatre at the Bellmont High School and saw Jesus Christ Superstar. This is a great idea to help raise money for the school and groups. I remembered really enjoying that experience from long ago. Still need a drive in.
Maybe this way the “rights” could be gotten around this way, and use the school more, and entertain the citizens at a reasonable price, and consessions. Give the teens some job experience, as the teens need jobs.
Voter
I agree with you, North Adams isn’t rewarding their teachers. It appears they are treated like 3rd World Individuals. They are told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. It seems that they don’t need to go to college anymore if they teach here. I feel deeply sorry for those who are truly caring and compassionate teachers, they seem to get bulldozed at each turn they try to make to educate the youth of Decatur. I’m sorry to hear that you are getting out of teaching. You are obviously a caring teacher. I thank you for your time teaching.
Did anyone else attend the school board meeting last night? Most of those attending were staff from the elementary schools. There were some parents, but I thought there would be more. It’s a shame, really. The people who did stand up and make statements were, for the most part, against the restructuring of the elementaries. Mr. Sirk had charts that put the fiscal savings at around $186,000 with no teachers losing their jobs. I couldn’t tell if the teachers were for it or against it. Mr. Brunstrup from Southeast was the only teacher that spoke out. I think ( read “think” ) he is or was the person in charge of the NACS teacher’s union… anyway, anyone have any comments?
Concerned Mom
From what I have heard, all the teachers are against it. Yes, Mr. Brunstrup is the PResident of the teachers union. I have also been told that the committee that Mr Sirk mentioned that had been meeting, has only met once!! I did notice that Mr Sirk’s face was really red during the meeting. This probably means is was not happy and totally upset and ticked about the comments that were being made. I have been told that if it’s his idea to do something it’s ok, but if you try to tell him or give suggestions, then he gets ticked and does it his way no matter what. If you can make him think it’s his idea, then you are ok. LOL! It seems odd that the paper printed that this in the planning stages and yet later in the article, it stated that North Adams has put this idea on the fast track. So…..which is it? PLanning or fast track?
Eve: My gut tells me this is a done deal and that North Adams powers-that-be are just going through the motions of letting the public have it’s say. I mean, c’mon… the final decision will be made at the February school board meeting? What does that tell ya?
I agree with you concerned mom, they are just going through the motions. It’s very sad when the tax payers who provide the salary for “the-power’s-that-be” are not consulted nor given a chance to give imput before the decision is and was made. You can read the minutes of school board meetings online by the way. You will be amazed to how they seem to be different in writing as compared to what happened in person.
Just wanted to share that now my kids came home from school and said that they have to go to another school next year. They are all upset as well as their friends. They don’t want to go to another school. They even said that they at Northwest you get cut with knives. Now I’ve never heard that one before, but the kids said yeah, MOm. It happened on the bus. So now we have kids upset as well as parents. Not sure how well they will do the rest of the school year now being so upset. Jsut wanted to know anyone’s thoughts.
Eve: I am sorry that your children are upset. I really don’t think that anyone is taking any child’s feelings into consideration! My goodness, would you want to be shuffled around like that? But, because children don’t have rights, and the schoold board isn’t elected, why should they care? Did you see my other post under “Voice Your Concerns…” ? What do you think of that?
concerned mom:
I just checked your comments. I really didn’t know there was another forum for discussion on this. Thanks for the heads up. Since we have had the new Superintendent, his main concern has been visibility. Putting a bus in the Callithumpian Parade, having a booth at the 4-H fair, now having a booth at Spotlight on Decatur. I’m not sure why he is going to these efforts. It’s not like we have a choice of public schools here in Northern Adams County. Not like the choices you would have in Fort Wayne. It seems that he is certiainly on his own agenda and not considering anyone or anything else but his own success and popularity among the community. I didn’t know that 7 more teacher’s had been riffed since Jan.19th. I knew that 2 kindergarten teacher’s received pink slips prior to Christmas break. I do believe it is time the community and parents voice their opinions and not roll over and play dead.
Hi everybody, I’m new here. Thanks for being a part of this community. Cheers.