April Griffin Blog

La Gaceta Endorses April Griffin

2010-07-26T22:28:00.002-04:00

La Gaceta Newspaper, Tampa
Published July 23, 2010

District 6

In this countywide school board race, April Griffin, who is completing her first term, is being challenged by Benjamin Fink, Sally Harris, and Terry Kemple. This is an easy race for us. Mr. Fink and Ms. Harris did not respond to request to talk to them and while we did not call Mr. Kemple, we believe we have his number. Mr. Kemple pushes the business approach to the school district and calls it his ABC Plan: A=Accountability, B=Budget, and C=Cooperation. That's it. The whole plan. Wow! Too bad the great minds at the school district didn't come up with that before.

What appears to drive Kemple to public service are religious issues, even though he leaves that subject out of his repertoire. The drive for Good Friday as a holiday lit his fire, but we want more than that at the dais.

April Griffin has used her outsider status to challenge the superintendent and the administration to be more accountable. She has pushed to make the school board meetings a slice of democracy instead of a choreographed pep rally. She even went as far as giving the superintendent a low grade for her it's my way or the highway style. Of course rocking the boat gets a little mess and has led to some critics in the media, but hey, what is it they say about breaking eggs and an omelet?

She is the leading voice on the board for vocational programs, knowing that college should be everyone's goal, but not everyone's reality. Her efforts have kept funding for these necessary programs and given a voice to a sometimes forgotten group of kids.

Griffin is independent, fresh and unafraid while still listening and learning.

That's why we strongly endorse April Griffin for school board, District 6.

Tampa Tribune Endorses April Griffin

2010-07-26T08:24:00.000-04:00

District 6

April Griffin, 41, of Temple Terrace is seeking a second term. Three candidates are challenging her.

They are Benjamin Fink, 34, a business owner and consultant specializing in technology, who lives in New Tampa; Sally Harris, 60, of Tampa, who owns and operates a preschool and spent 18 years in the county school system as an occupational specialist; and Terry Kemple, 63, of Brandon, president of the Community Issues Council, a Christian-based organization.

All the challengers are well-intentioned and knowledgeable about key issues. But none matches Griffin's energy, determination or attention to detail.

Griffin isn't perfect. After being elected, she pursued change with more enthusiasm than expertise, but she eventually settled down and began to work effectively with administrators and others. She pushed to change a flawed hiring policy that allowed personnel who retired to be rehired at the same pay scale.

Excited about implementing the Gates' grant, Griffin understands the need to fairly evaluate teachers, to take into account their different challenges in the classroom.

She pledges to continue championing technical and career education for students who, for whatever reason, will not attend college, as well as readying students who want to attend college.

And she says students should be screened earlier for disabilities – allowing administrators and parents to create individual education plans sooner.

Griffin, who says she spends 50 to 60 hours a week on school business, brings a useful outlook to the board: Family issues not of her doing forced her to leave home when she was 17. She got her GED when she was 24, so she has an understanding of students who don't come from model homes.

The Tribune endorses April Griffin for Hillsborough County School Board, District 6.

Tampa Tribune article.

Hillsborough school district wins national accreditation

2010-07-12T12:13:00.005-04:00

In April, a 40-member team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools conducted more than 1,800 interviews with school board members, staff, students and community members.

The credits students earn in Hillsborough County public schools may now be recognized all over the country — and the world.

Achieving accreditation involves three steps: meeting high quality standards, implementing a continuous process of improvement, and engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review.

Benefits of accreditation include national recognition for quality, access to research-based guidance on building curriculums and improving teaching methods, and a leg up in seeking grants for education improvement, district officials have said.

Here are some of the qualities that earned the district praise:

• Effective leadership and collaborative culture.

• Willingness to try new things as reflected in the overhaul under way through the $100 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant.

• Strong fiscal management, supportive professional development and a sense of "empowerment to do what's best for kids and schools."

Read full story here.

College admissions now requires criminal background

2010-07-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

From the gradebook

Higher education is supposed to give people a leg up to move ahead in work and society.

But in light of some recent high-profile campus massacres, a growing number of colleges and universities have begun checking applicants' criminal histories along with their high school transcripts, Inside Higher Ed reports.

Not everyone is sold on the idea, which comes with its share of problems even as it seeks to resolve a huge concern.

Darby Dickerson, vice president and dean at the Stetson University College of Law, described criminal background checks to the publication as a "legal and policy jigsaw puzzle" of intertwined concerns about campus safety, legal risk and individual rights.

Others, meanwhile, suggested that it's the wrong approach to essentially post a Keep Out sign to people with a criminal past, people who need a fresh start as much if not more than others. Your thoughts?

Read full USA Today story here.

Turn around students

2010-04-22T15:57:00.001-04:00

The annual turn around awards yesterday, today, and again tomorrow are why I get up every morning and do what I do. I have been so moved by their stories. These students have shown determination and strength of character through some very difficult times and gotten themselves on the right track with the help of some very dedicated, caring teachers and support staff. Our district has some amazing people. Where was the media to show the stories of "kids these days"?

I stand corrected. The media did report on this story. Read the article here.

Veto SB 6/HB 7189

2010-04-11T13:05:00.005-04:00

Last Wednesday I spoke out against SB 6 and HB 7189 at a teacher rally. Last Friday I personally spoke with Governor Charlie Crist and shared my objection to SB 6 and HB 7189 and asked him to veto these bad bills. He was very gracious, listened, and asked good questions.

I told him that I understand the need for reform, but it must have teacher input. I said that the state of Florida needs to let Hillsborough County lead the way with the Gates grant, which has had teacher input and much thought, consideration, and now funding behind it.

He has 5 days to make a decision and needs to hear from more people. Call him, write him, let him know these bad bills and he needs to veto them.

If you oppose SB 6 and the matching HB 7189 call his office at (850)488-7146 and let him know.

Your voice can make a difference and he is listening. Read the SPTimes article where the Governor says "I've never seen anything like it," "I think I've gotten three people who said I should sign it compared to hundreds (opposed). It's been pretty overwhelming."

Gates questions and answers

2010-03-05T23:17:00.002-05:00

A reader asked me to put the Gates grant out there for all of you. I understand there are concerns and I would like to address them.

Please post your questions and I will answer them. I want this to be an honest productive conversation. If we keep it on that level this should turn out to be a very interesting thread.

Is Texas re-writing history?

2010-03-05T22:57:00.003-05:00

The Texas State Board of Education stirred up controversy again by dictating which history can or cannot be included included in history and social studies textbooks.

According to Carol Jones, the field director of the Texas chapter of Citizens for a Sound Economy ''The bottom line is that Texas and California are the biggest buyers of textbooks in the country, and what we adopt in Texas is what the rest of the country gets''. That is a pretty bold statement considering Florida has 3 of the largest school districts in the nation.

I'm not saying that they don't have influence. Publishers are quietly withdrawing their textbooks. But I have to note that after serving on the state instructional materials selection committee. I know that we rejected quite a few publishers who were trying to pass national standards, not our sunshine state standards, through our committee.

It is important that we stay committed to including all relevant history and not cherry picking based on our own personal bias what we teach our students.

Read this article and share your thoughts.

Students Sound Off on School Technology Use

2010-02-03T18:11:00.003-05:00

Discussions of technology in education typically center on what policymakers, academic experts, and educators would like to see happen in the classroom. Rarely heard are the voices of those who are actively test-driving new forms of technology: the students.

Read full article and watch video here.

U.S. Teen Pregnancy Rate Increases After a Decade-Long Decline

2010-02-02T21:07:00.000-05:00

For the first time since the early 1990s, overall rates of pregnancy and birth among teens has increased, according to a report released yesterday by the Guttmacher Institute. The pregnancy rate among girls aged 15 – 19 rose by 3 percent between 2005 and 2006, reflecting increases in teen birth and abortion rates of 4% and 1%, respectively. “It is too soon to tell whether the increase in the teen pregnancy rate between 2005 and 2006 is a short term fluctuation, a more lasting stabilization or the beginning of a significant new trend, any of which would be of great concern,” said Lawrence Finer, Guttmacher’s director of domestic research. The teen pregnancy rate declined 41% between its peak, in 1990 and 2005, which also resulted in declines in teen births and abortions. Researchers attribute the significant drop to better use of contraceptives among sexually active teens. This reversal in teen pregnancy rates coincides with the introduction of abstinence-only sexual education programs that prohibited the discussion of the benefits of contraception. The Obama Administration’s 2010 budget has eliminated funding for abstinence-only programs and shifted it to pregnancy prevention initiatives that are age-appropriate, medically accurate and evidence-based.

Read article here.

Kindle vs iPad

2010-02-02T19:33:00.003-05:00

I have been to several technology forums lately and just recieved a Kindle for Christmas and I am imagining the possibilities for our students.

I would love to hear your thoughts on having students carrying e-readers instead of traditional text books.

In your opinion tell me what you think. Of Apples iPad and Amazon's Kindle which one will be VHS and which one will be BetaMax? Did I just age myself?

Defusing Student Violence: A Threat Assessment Approach

2010-01-12T10:12:00.002-05:00

Join a Webinar on January 19

Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia adopted and adapted a threat assessment process that is intended to prevent school violence and increase safety. Determining the appropriate discipline, placement, and supports for students involved in these incidents can be particularly challenging when a threat occurs. The information provided through the assessment aids administrators and school board members in their decision making.

During the webinar, you will learn about the program's evolution over the last 6 years that will aid you in avoiding potential pitfalls as you apply the assessment process in your school division. Although PWCS is a large, ethnically diverse school district near Washington, DC, the lessons learned can be applied anywhere. The historical and technical overview will provide a framework for developing threat and risk assessment within your school division while maintaining reliability and validity.

Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar Seat Now Here

America's fastest growing salaries

2010-01-04T16:49:00.002-05:00

Education and healthcare is the way to go. Of particular interest is #5.

Read article here.

This blog has been invaded

2009-12-29T15:19:00.003-05:00

This blog has been invaded by bots. I have had a hard time keeping up with posts, as there are a lot of posts from bots. If your post has been deleted I apologize. I am trying to figure out a way to get this under control.

At your service, April

Building leaders through hands on experiences

2009-11-06T13:21:00.002-05:00

The Food Project is a hands on experience that teaches kids from all over, including the inner cities; not only where their food comes from, but leaderships skills, civic duty, etc. This is an interesting video and article showing some highlights from the project.

To rate or not to rate - that is the accountability question

2009-11-02T09:36:00.004-05:00

Nobody will argue against accountability. I have met with many teachers and I have heard time and time again from good teachers who realize we have teachers in the district who are just collecting a paycheck. Or teachers who are waiting until their retirement kicks in, and these good teachers don't want to teach next to those teachers, they get it. But, at what cost, are we grading our teachers? How much emphasis are we putting on things that have no impact on what or how kids are learning?

Take this experience one teacher had when her evaluator was observing her class as an example of how not to grade teachers. Kristen Amundson was teaching her English class and the students were really into the lesson. She recalls that one 16 year old boy stated that "You know, I've felt like that myself", again I say, a 16 year old boy. He got it; he grasped the meaning of a poem and related it to his own life. These are the moments great teachers exist for. And what did her evaluator observe and tell her? "You didn't call the roll". How degrading for this teacher. How is this an accurate assessment of what happened in that classroom on that day?

We need to have common sense. We need people who are evaluating our teachers in the classroom teaching from time to time to remember what it is like. We need our Hillsborough County Teachers participating and voicing their opinions as we participate in the Gates Grant we are expecting in the near future. We need your input.

Read this very interesting article in the Washington Post and let me know your thoughts.

9 Drug free appoaches to ADHD

2009-11-01T22:44:00.002-05:00

I am not advocating for one approach or another. This article just gives parents and teachers something to think about.

Act quickly - Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest

2009-10-27T13:11:00.000-04:00

NEWS

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jennifer Pensy, (850) 681-3200,jennifer.pensy@saltermitchell.com

September 16, 2009

Amber Floyd, (850) 701-6166, floyda@healthykids.org

Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest Returns
Students use technology to promote benefits of good healthcare
Tallahassee, Fla. – Students dreaming of a "big break" can compete for their moment in the spotlight with the Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest [www.actout4health.org]. Middle school and high school students across Florida are encouraged to produce a 30-second television commercial or create a billboard advertisement promoting Florida KidCare, the state and federally-funded insurance program providing affordable health benefits for children birth through 18. Launched statewide in 2008, the Act-Out for Health contest drew more than 100 PSA and print advertisement entries from middle and high school students. This year, students will use a unique application on the contest website to create their billboard ad and lesson plans have been created for teachers.

"I am thrilled to see the Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health contest again this year," said Reggie Grant, communications technology teacher at Lincoln High School in Leon County. "It’s an amazing opportunity for students to collaborate and creatively problem solve. Not only are students required to demonstrate important skills -- planning, organization, technology, communication, media literacy -- but scholarships are available to help further their education."

All of the contest entries will be judged on originality and ability to promote Florida KidCare benefits to a diverse population. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and by the students themselves. This year, students can vote online for their favorite PSA and billboard ad for the Kids’ Choice winners. Grand prize winners will be chosen by Florida KidCare judges. The grand prize winning billboard design will be placed in the statewide winner’s hometown or the closest billboard location possible. The grand prize winning commercial will air on television stations and YouTube. Both grand prize winners will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship. Regional winners have the opportunity to win great prizes including gifts cards and funding for their schools.

"The Act-Out for Health contest is a creative way to motivate kids to action," said Rich Robleto, executive director of Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, a Florida KidCare partner. "We think it’s important for kids to know about quality healthcare, whether they have insurance or not. The contest has been a really good vehicle to get kids thinking about healthy lifestyles, preventive care and building awareness of the Florida KidCare program."

Florida KidCare is available to Florida children without health insurance. Children enrolled in the program receive preventive care, such as regular doctor’s visits, immunizations, dental and eye care, at a price their families can afford. Many families pay $15 or $20 per month; most pay nothing at all. A full-pay option is also available for families who may not be eligible for subsidized coverage. A recent study by the University of Florida Institute for Child Health Policy revealed the highest percentage of uninsured children in the state are kids between the ages of 12 and 18.

The contest is open to all middle and high school students across the state. To download the entry form and contest guidelines and to view last year’s winners, visit www.actout4health.org.

For questions about the Act-Out for Health contest, please call Amber Floyd, communications specialist for the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation at (850) 701-6166.

Contest entries must be postmarked or submitted online no later than Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

# # #

About Florida KidCare
Florida KidCare offers affordable, quality health insurance for children under the age of 19. Children enrolled in the program receive regular doctor’s visits, dental check-ups, and immunizations. For additional information please visit www.floridakidcare.org.

New Florida State Sunshine Standards

2009-10-09T17:52:00.002-04:00

I just got back from the State DOE instructional materials selection committee meeting in Orlando. I am exhausted from 3 grueling days of mind numbing yet intense work. Our committee worked hard and took our job to heart. I am excited about the Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in Mathematics.

I am looking forward to hearing from math teachers about your opinion of the new standards.

I can't help it, I must weigh in on this debate

2009-09-03T22:39:00.011-04:00

I was reading a few articles in about the proposed September 8th speech by President Obama and was struck by the following reader comment:

Posted by ( reptaddict ) on 09/03/2009 at 09:05 pm. "Sometimes you just have to sit back and look at what lies before you. We are actually debating about whether parents should opt their children out of listening to the President of the United States, who rose from meager beginnings to Harvard Law to the highest office in the land, speak to the children about the importance of education. Dear God, what have we become? Can we as a people possibly be this pathetic? I guess on Tuesday we'll find out".

I believe parents have a right to opt out of certain controversial lessons. But as a student I remember having to write book reports on various presidents, or having to memorize speeches. Never and I mean never, did my mother have to ability to opt out of my doing school work. I would have received a zero, plain and simple.

I remember receiving topics I was strongly opposed to when we were learning to debate and I had to argue in favor of the topic. Sometimes my mind was changed and sometimes my position was made stronger (typically the latter). But the lesson did what it was intended to do; create critical, higher lever thinking skills. Isn’t that our job? Some wonderful, spirited debate could evolve out of this Presidential address.

Another point being made by the opposition is the avenue President is using to communicate with students. One statement made was "the concern here is that it's a one-way communication,"… "that's the fear of indoctrination."

His message will be delivered via web cast and broadcasted on CNN. The reality is that today’s kids spend hours searching YouTube videos and updating their MySpace. The internet is what they understand.

It is also being argued that his delivery platform is going to be unprecedented. This is absolutely true. Never before has any other president used technology the way President Obama has. He is the first president to carry a blackberry and have a Whitehouse blog. He has fully embraced technology. Remember that the TV was unprecedented at one time. Bottom line, what does it matter how he communicates his message?

I will conclude with this. I am constantly hearing people say that one of the biggest problems with our society is lack of respect for authority from our youth. Where are they learning this disrespect? One may not agree with a President and has a right to voice opposition, but he deserves respect and he has earned his place in the history books, just like all the Presidents before him. We must respect the Office of the President. Keeping students home or opting out sends the wrong message.

Read the Tampa Tribune articles here and here and the St. Pete Times article here and USA article here.

*UPDATE: As of Sunday morning prior to the speech, the argument is shifting to Education Secretary Arne Duncan's release of the lesson plans prior to the President's message. This shift has taken place because proponents have successfully pointed out that other Presidents have broadcast messages to students in the past; most notably Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush. What is not being pointed out is that Duncan is a former superintendent of a public school system, and understands the impact of integrative lesson plans and how combining the lesson with real world events can make learning more relevant and meaningful for students.

What Secretary Duncan was trying to do when he suggested the lesson plans was to say, “We have a message from the President, this is the gist of the message, and here are some good ideas for lessons for various ages and grades that would make it more meaningful for students”. What has happened is that some of the President’s opposition has short quoted a few parts of the memo released to principals and has taken a life of its own and stirred up this controversy. For example in one of the suggested lessons teachers could take students to the library and research other Presidents and President Obama. When this part referenced ‘research other Presidents’ is left out and changes the context of the message from the DOE, thus creating a different meaning to the message.

A new year begins smoothly

2009-08-26T09:09:00.002-04:00

I went to bed the night before the first day of school worried about what could happen. Even with all of the changes we have made to improve on transportation problems of the past who knows what can happen.

Whew! The first day went off with hardly any glitches. I visited 5 schools and the first question I asked at each one was whether or not there were any busing issues. The answer was a resounding no.

I attribute the changes to much planning, dry runs before school started, communication improvements, and most importantly asking how we could change (and listening to the answers) from the people who are on the front lines; bus drivers, transportation workers, and parents.

Read St Pete times article here.

Why don’t students like school?

2009-07-08T21:49:00.002-04:00

I was reading a very interesting article in USA Today and was struck by something I read and wanted some input from teachers, especially AP teachers.

Daniel Willingham the author of the book ‘Why don’t students like school?’ was interviewed and got me thinking with this quote, “School is all about mental challenge, and that is hard work, make no mistake. Still, people do enjoy mental work or, more exactly, people enjoy successful mental work. We get a snap of satisfaction when we solve a problem”.

I started to wondering again about students taking AP classes who are failing. Are we setting our students up for failure by not allowing them to have that ‘snap of satisfaction when they solve a problem’ and only see failure?

Then I read the statement “But solving a problem that is trivially easy is not fun”, and I have to ask. Is traditional curriculum enough to keep students engaged and learning, or is it trivially easy?

And then I am brought back to my original thought in my first question by the statement “Neither is hammering away at a problem with no sense you are making progress”. If students are not capable of passing an AP classes or AP exams, are we creating an environment for our students where they feel like they are ‘hammering away at a problem with no sense of making progress?’

The author then goes on to say “So the challenge for a teacher is to find that sweet spot of mental difficulty, and to find it simultaneously for 25 students, each with a different level of preparation. To fight this problem, teachers must engage each student with work that is appropriate for his or her level of preparation. This must be done sensitively, so that students who are behind don't feel like second-class citizens. But the fact is they are behind, and pretending that they are not does them no favors”.

This seems to be the impossible dream. I don’t see how realistically this can be achieved. With all of the state and federal mandates and current curriculum we are using in Hillsborough County, are we giving our teachers the flexibility they need?

Read the USA Today article here and tell me what you think.

Do top teachers avoid schools with large minority populations?

2009-07-07T00:56:00.003-04:00

Do highly qualified or better yet, highly effective teachers avoid schools with a large populations of minority students?

A Journal of Labor Economics study suggests that highly trained and effective teachers tend to leave schools that have a high number of minority students. The study focused on the Charlotte-Mecklenberg school district in North Carolina using data supplied by the North Carolina Education Research Data Center.

The study found that "schools that had an increase in black enrollment suffered a decrease in their share of high-quality teachers, as measured by years of experience and certification test scores. Teacher effectiveness, as measured by teachers’ previous ability to improve student test scores, decreased in the black inflow schools as well. The change in quality for each school generally occurred in the same year that the busing program ended, indicating that teachers moved in anticipation of more black students".

Read Chicago Journal article here.

Pew research shows widening generation gap

2009-07-05T09:26:00.003-04:00

A recent poll shows that we are facing the largest generation gap since 1969. From the fast paced, ever changing world of technology, to religion, relationships, manners, and morality; we are seeing larger differences in the way we view the world between younger and older people.

Does this generation gap affect teaching? If so how can we overcome these differences and meet our students on a level where they can understand the curriculum and meet the rigorous standards mandated by the state and the federal government?

Are we headed in the right direction? Or do we need to re-assess the direction we are headed?

Important policy changes

2009-06-02T23:26:00.002-04:00

The school board is in the process of re-writing our district policies. First we have had to match existing policies to state and federal laws and create policies that coincide with new laws. Next we want to write them in a way that is easy for people outside of lawyers and academia types to read and understand. We also want to make the policies easier to access via the school district web site with links to the laws and other helpful sites as necessary.

I would like your input on policies you feel that I need to look more closely at as we continue this process. Please share your knowledge with me in the comments section of this post. If we need to have a more detailed conversation email or call me.

At your service, April Griffin