Superintendent's Article - October 30, 2008

This week I have invited our Curriculum Director, Mrs. Sherry Unger, to address the opportunities for children that will be provided by passage of ISSUE 56.

As we look at learning in the classroom, nothing can match the impact of a high quality teacher. We are very fortunate in Louisville to have an outstanding group of teachers and support personnel. These people give 110% every day to provide a positive educational experience for our students. Without these dedicated professionals, new educational facilities would be but empty shells. With new and updated facilities, we can provide so much more for . . .

OUR CHILDREN --As much as the staff gives, their effectiveness could be greatly enhanced with new facilities. At the top of the list is the comfort level of the students. In August, our students return to school when the weather is extremely hot. When our 80-year old buildings were built it may not have been much of an issue, but fresh, clean air is very important. Although most rooms have ceiling fans, these are noisy and do little but move the hot air around. We all know that children learn best when they are comfortable. It is difficult to imagine a more uncomfortable environment than is present in our buildings during warm weather. Temperatures soar in our older classrooms and children are hot, tired and literally "limp" from the sweltering heat. Children also need lighting that supports reading and learning. Currently, our schools have inadequate and inefficient lighting. Higher levels of lighting improve attention and aid in learning and teaching. Our children need better conditions in which to learn.

OUR COMMUNITY -- Louisville City Schools continue to work to make sure that every tax dollar we spend helps prepare students for the challenges of their future. One challenge is that often we must purchase multiple items to make sure that each and every building has the supplies and materials necessary to teach the curriculum. For example, a science unit can cost nearly $1,000. With our current elementary building configuration, we must purchase four of these same units to make sure each building has what is needed to teach the required curriculum. With a single elementary campus, most of the duplicate purchases could be eliminated, thus saving the district money. In addition to science materials, our district also currently maintains four elementary libraries, four intervention centers and four resource rooms. Reducing the duplicate purchasing would help our schools operate more efficiently and save taxpayer dollars.

EVERYONE'S FUTURE - Our district works very hard to prepare Louisville children for the ever-changing demands of the 21st century. Much of this preparation involves working together in groups, exploring through hands-on learning, and developing technology skills. In our current facilities, teachers are forced to work in cramped, over-crowded classrooms. Under the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission, classrooms in grades 1-5 contain 900 square feet of organized learning space - space for the students to work in groups, space for setting up science experiments, space for computers and related technology, and space for students to get out of their chairs and participate in active learning. In many of the current classrooms, our teachers do not have space to use technology for learning. In other rooms, the addition of technology requires that cords and cables be strung across light fixtures and along the floor, forcing the teacher to require that students remain in their seats to "experience" technology. This is a huge fire hazard. With new buildings, the classrooms would be configured with all the wiring and connections needed for teachers to truly integrate technology into learning and would enable the students to use the technology anywhere in the building.

On November 4th, our community will have the opportunity to provide our children with new and updated school buildings that will impact the future, everyone's future. Passage of Issue #56 will improve student learning in our schools.