Willow Run considers changing 50% of its high school staff to qualify for grant funds
Willow Run High School may not see 50 percent of its staff or its principal return to work in the fall.
The school is eligible for up to $2 million in federal grants to help boost achievement, but must enact significant changes to receive the funds.
The Michigan Department of Education ranked the building among the lowest 5 percent of schools statewide in achievement. That ranking qualifies it for funds made available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act via the U.S. Department of Education.
The Willow Run school board must decide what changes to make to qualify for grant funds.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
Willow Run Education Association President Kathleen Miller said no staff will lose their jobs or not be rehired. Instead, the staff changes will come through retirements and transfers. She said she has worked closely with the administration to develop the plan, and so far has no issues.
"We're working through the plan right now and we've been in constant, good communication with the administration," she said. "There are a lot of new things coming to Willow Run, and we’re hoping they will drive up enrollment. We want to do what is right for this community and those kids because they come first."
Board President Sheri Washington said details were not immediately available, but the district will submit a plan to the state by July 14.
Several board members expressed support for the idea, and Washington said the turnaround model best suits Willow Run’s needs. She said the school has changed leadership several times and brought in new teachers with little results.
“We’ve done a lot of things to help improve this environment, but, at the end of the day, we are still a failing school, and categorically speaking we’ve got to do not just better, we’ve got to do much better. We are failing kids,” she said.
Other options the district has to choose from to qualify for the grant money include:
- Closing the school.
- Restart model, which would place the high school under a “charter-like” arrangement with an outside educational entity.
- Transformation model, in which the district would replace the principal, take steps to increase staff effectiveness, provide operational flexibility, increase the school day, institute comprehensive instructional reforms and create community-oriented schools.
Funds would only be allocated for items directly related to student improvement in the classroom - money could not be used for maintenance.
A monitor from the state DOE would visit the school once weekly to chart its progress, returning less frequently as the school saw improvements.
The district will receive between $50,000 and $2 million over three years. No figure has been made available to the district on how much it will receive, but Washington said the district is "planning to implement sustainable initiatives.”
“Once the money goes away can you continue to do these things without additional costs?’” she said. “It’s a little tricky.”
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Ypsilocal
Tue, Jul 6, 2010 : 6:07 p.m.
Thank you TEACHER for that eloquently written post. I am one of those teachers who sought work elsewhere and still hold a fondness for WR. You are absolutely correct about the social issues that WR families struggle with. With a higher free and reduced lunch count that Detroit Public schools (i.e. higher poverty rate) and the sometimes dangerous living conditions of many of the districts residents, the children of WR face seemingly insurmountable odds. Last year in one housing complex alone there were 5 shootings and two murders. How can we expect students to learn when their basic needs of food and a safe home are not even met? Unfortunately charter schools and schools of choice have driven families with the resources to transport their children to other schools to seek out that option. That means that the WR residents with fewer resources must remain in the district. Unfortunately for WR this in turn creates a situation where the students from lower socio-economic circumstances are isolated from peers who might have had a positive impact on learning and achievement. Anyone with an Education degree knows that the testing measures our state imposes is a better indicator of the social-economic status of a district than a referendum on the quality of teachers or achievement level of the students. I am not sure what it will take to fix Willow Runs issues, but one thing I DO know is that the issues are much larger than teacher quality or a seemingly lazy student body. This is a time for the WR community to come together rather than place blame or disparage others for choices that can not be altered. We need to move forward rather than look to the past, and one way to do this is to tap into those resources that the Federal Government is providing.
mama247
Fri, Jul 2, 2010 : 8:47 a.m.
You receive an "A+" for your assessment, teacher.
Cash
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 7:14 p.m.
The rotting of WR happened long before the past superintendent came on board. Remember the guy they hired who bought educational materials from his and his girlfriends own company? Another district had him charged with the same crime. WR just waved good-bye to him. Close the district down.
teacher
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 6:48 p.m.
Interesting comments that over simplify very complex issues. One comment seems to suggest that putting higher priced teachers from nearby districts in Willow Run classrooms would be a quick fix to the problems in Willow Run. Under Doris Hope-Jackson many of Willow Run's teachers did leave and find jobs in more stable districts and received a higher salary as a result of changing districts. Many of these former teachers have learned firsthand how much easier it is to teach in other districts and most if not all still have a fond spot in their heart for Willow Run. These former teachers did not become more knowledgeable or better instructors because they received a higher salary or a job in a more stable district. They are who they are. They were able to find a job teaching where the issues were easier to address. There are many dedicated and instructionally strong teachers in Willow Run. There are some stable districts that see experience teaching in Willow Run as a huge asset and when given the opportunity to hire Willow Run teachers, they do. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere! Willow Run teachers have a tendency to be flexible, knowledgeable, willing to try new innovative instructional ideas, and have empathy towards diversity, students, and parents. Ask some of the EMU and U of M professors and researchers who have spent time working and researching with teachers and students in Willow Run. Willow Run represents many of the difficult issues that need to be addressed in our county, state, and country. The high concentration of difficult social issues in one school system makes these issues more challenging, complex, and difficult to address. Our community cannot think of a better way to support a weakened part of our community when times are tough than blaming and throwing insensitive rocks at a problem we do not really understand. Really? I guess it is a lot easier to behave like a rude bully than to roll up your sleeves and find a way to help.
commuter
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 4:03 p.m.
I have two issues to address. First, it is correct, no teachers have been terminated as a result of this plan, yet. Programs are being cut and that results in a job loss. Second issue, have any of you actually witnessed the current WR teachers in action? They are hard working, but survive despite their actual working conditions. How can you teach students that do not come to school or to your class? How can you force a child to learn when they are told at home that they don't need to worry about what the teacher says? How can you expect life long learners when the students will not accept responsibility for their learning? This is only a small portion of the daily challenge faced by a WR teacher. On top of that, ridicule from the masses.....really, "why bother?" can become the attitude. The teachers are not arrogant, just tired and beat down. Talk to one before you pass judgment.
YpsiReader
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 3 p.m.
@sh1, That is insulting to the children of Willow Run. I believe that changes are being made that will benefit all students in the WR district. Every student matters.
sh1
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 9:02 a.m.
I think you'd have better results from replacing 50% of the students.
mama247
Thu, Jul 1, 2010 : 7:57 a.m.
Hey, these proposed changes are FOR the students and education... not merely to rearrange teachers as if they were furniture and students were insignificant visitors as occurred during the last regime with Doris Hope-Jackson as superintendent. Believe it or not, folks, truly POSITIVE change is under way at WRCS. Quaint notions such as learning, scholarship, graduation, and college preparation are driving forces. For ALL students. Yes, the district has blundered hideously in the past, notably hiring Hope-Jackson in 2007 and giving her a FIVE year contract extension in 2008. Her unethical cohort, Laconda Hicks, former "Student Services Director" (she directed her OWN education and conveniently eliminated WR students from her educational plan), was fired recently..... BRAVO, WR school board. Now please do the same with Hope-Jackson, whose hearings are currently in progress. Of course, Hope-Jackson would love to continue her malignant tenure since she's still receiving her $120,000 plus. New school board members and hierarchy in the Run are addressing the needs of students for the right reasons: the educational needs of each and every student.
Cash
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 11:52 a.m.
Mikey2u, Brilliant post. Thanks!
Cash
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 11:51 a.m.
I'd like to see a comparison of the pay scales for teachers in Washtenaw County to prove or disprove a comment posted about salaries. Ann Arbor. com can you get that data?
ladydi
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 11:20 a.m.
The way WR runs their schools, makes me think the people making these decisions must have graduated from there!
Mikey2u
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 10:48 a.m.
The current staff at Willow Run has wallowed in mediocrity and underachievement for so long it has become the accepted norm. Approximately half of all students will drop-out. Those students that manage to graduate will be so ill prepared for college they will be forced to borrow thousands of dollars in student loans to attend remedial math and English classes before moving on with their studies. Removing 50% of the teaching staff through attrition is not an acceptable plan. Willow Run Schools must be cognizant of the fact that they have done a disservice to thousands of students and damaged the community. Willow Run Schools must develop a sense of urgency. Willow Run Schools should not address the problem to qualify for federal grant money, Willow Run Schools should address the problem because they owe it to the students.
ffej440
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 10:25 a.m.
You get what you pay for. The best schools in this area also have the highest pay. Replace these people with new at the same pay rate and they will get more of the same. Why do you think AA and Saline teachers make $20,000 per yr more?
aareader
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 8:45 a.m.
I find it interesting that 50% of the teachers would need to be "replaced" Was the hiring process so poor that good/great teachers could not be found originally from a large number of applicants in MIchigan??? OR/AND Are there other issues that need to be addressed?
Cash
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 6:18 a.m.
I live in the district and I think it should be dissolved and the area students left should be absorbed by surrounding districts, as they did with Sumpter schools years ago. The vast majority of children in my area go to others schools now anyhow. WR has had it's opportunities and continued to waste our money by failing to improve. Close it down. We cannot afford to pay for failure any longer.
ironyinthesky2
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 5:06 a.m.
For a few dollars more can we get rid of all of them and just start over?