Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, October 1, 2010
The case for school consolidation in Indiana
Brief released by The Center for Evaluation & Education Policy at Indiana University:
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=43931
"When we looked at all of these measures, again a compelling case could not be made for wholesale or mandated school consolidation in the state of Indiana" - Terry Spradlin, Associate Director of the CEEP and co-author of the report
http://www.ceep.indiana.edu/projects/PDF/PB_V8N3_Summer_2010_EPB.pdf
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=43931
"When we looked at all of these measures, again a compelling case could not be made for wholesale or mandated school consolidation in the state of Indiana" - Terry Spradlin, Associate Director of the CEEP and co-author of the report
http://www.ceep.indiana.edu/projects/PDF/PB_V8N3_Summer_2010_EPB.pdf
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
NHS/EVSC Partnership Announced
Today, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, New Harmony School Superintendent Fran Thoele, and Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Vince Bertram, along with the school boards of each respective school corporation, announced an innovative community-to-community partnership which could become a model for the State of Indiana.
With this partnership, the community of New Harmony will continue to make decisions on the education of its children at the local level while benefitting from a large scale effort to operate schools efficiently.
New Harmony School will now participate in the EVSC’s purchasing initiative, which will result in cost savings upwards of 35% in certain areas. Further, the children of New Harmony will benefit by gaining access to greater educational offerings and opportunities through avenues such as virtual learning and early-college initiatives.
The EVSC, on the other hand, will gain access to the foundations of education in New Harmony, and a tremendous wealth of resources, culture, and history with this collaborative partnership.
The New Harmony School Foundation and its Trustees are very supportive of the partnership and proud of our local school for their efforts to enact the future of public education in Indiana.
Following are media links to today's announcement:
http://tristatehomepage.com/content/video/?cid=121881
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/06/evsc-new-harmony-school-announce-partnership/
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/06/school-districts-form-co-op/
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/10/partnership-wont-cost-evsc-extra/
http://www.14wfie.com/global/story.asp?s=11781850
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yh7wolw
For the kids!
With this partnership, the community of New Harmony will continue to make decisions on the education of its children at the local level while benefitting from a large scale effort to operate schools efficiently.
New Harmony School will now participate in the EVSC’s purchasing initiative, which will result in cost savings upwards of 35% in certain areas. Further, the children of New Harmony will benefit by gaining access to greater educational offerings and opportunities through avenues such as virtual learning and early-college initiatives.
The EVSC, on the other hand, will gain access to the foundations of education in New Harmony, and a tremendous wealth of resources, culture, and history with this collaborative partnership.
The New Harmony School Foundation and its Trustees are very supportive of the partnership and proud of our local school for their efforts to enact the future of public education in Indiana.
Following are media links to today's announcement:
http://tristatehomepage.com/content/video/?cid=121881
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/06/evsc-new-harmony-school-announce-partnership/
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/06/school-districts-form-co-op/
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jan/10/partnership-wont-cost-evsc-extra/
http://www.14wfie.com/global/story.asp?s=11781850
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yh7wolw
For the kids!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
POSEY COUNTY NEWS: 'NEW HARMONY SCHOOL REPORTS GOOD NEWS'
Excerpt from 10/13/2009 Posey County News Article by Pam Robinson
The New Harmony School Board covered a long list of personnel matters at their Thursday, October 8, meeting. But first and foremost, it was announced that the public is invited to attend the "Fiscal Responsibility & Educational Excellence" (FREE) Celebration on Friday, Oct. 23rd, at 1 p.m. in the school gym. The celebration marks the occasion of retiring the debt for the NHS building.
In other good news for the school, Principal Doug Mills reported that New Harmony School had one of the highest public school corporation Pass Rates around for Spring ISTEP scores. In Language Arts, NHS had an 80.5 percent Pass Rate (State Average 70.8 percent), and in Math NHS had an 81.8 percent Pass Rate (State Average 72 percent). NHS’s average percent Pass Rate for all tested grades in LA & Math was 81.2 percent (State Average 71.4 percent). Last year’s seventh graders had the ninth highest corporation scores in LA; last year’s eighth graders had the third highest corporation scores in LA; and last year’s third graders had the third highest score in Math.
The New Harmony School Board covered a long list of personnel matters at their Thursday, October 8, meeting. But first and foremost, it was announced that the public is invited to attend the "Fiscal Responsibility & Educational Excellence" (FREE) Celebration on Friday, Oct. 23rd, at 1 p.m. in the school gym. The celebration marks the occasion of retiring the debt for the NHS building.
In other good news for the school, Principal Doug Mills reported that New Harmony School had one of the highest public school corporation Pass Rates around for Spring ISTEP scores. In Language Arts, NHS had an 80.5 percent Pass Rate (State Average 70.8 percent), and in Math NHS had an 81.8 percent Pass Rate (State Average 72 percent). NHS’s average percent Pass Rate for all tested grades in LA & Math was 81.2 percent (State Average 71.4 percent). Last year’s seventh graders had the ninth highest corporation scores in LA; last year’s eighth graders had the third highest corporation scores in LA; and last year’s third graders had the third highest score in Math.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Survey Responses favor keeping New Harmony School
Results of a recent survey sponsored by the New Harmony School Foundation indicate that the Harmony Township Community strongly supports New Harmony School and the effort to maintain its continued presence in the community.
Eighty-nine percent of respondents agree that a local school is necessary to long-term community sustainability. Responses favor including New Harmony School in the town’s economic growth and historic preservation plans. Eighty-three percent see local control of the school important to ensuring a quality education.
An overwhelming majority (97%) of respondents believe New Harmony School contributes to the social dynamic of the community, while eighty-four percent agree that the school plays an important role in the local economy. Eighty-seven percent say they would vote favorably in a referendum to keep New Hamony School present in the community.
Furthermore, survey participants are satisfied with New Harmony School’s fiscal performance. For instance, seventy-seven percent agree that the school has acted responsibly in the current economic climate. A solid majority (74%) also support the school’s plan of changes and sacrifices to reduce debt. And paying off the school building in 2009 is viewed by most (90%) as strong support for the school’s continued presence.
Responses to possible reorganization of the school under alternative structures varied widely:
Downsizing to a publicly funded K-8 school: 43% favorable.
Applying to become a charter school: 48% favorable.
Converting to a private school: 23% favorable.
Maintaining a publicly funded K-12 school: 79% favorable.
In sum, the survey results clearly reflect a strong desire to retain New Harmony School. Less clear is a consensus on what form the continued existence of the school would take. A majority prefers a continuation of the current K-12 structure. However, given the current trends in state politics, the status quo seems unlikely. Survey respondents show an openness toward alternative structures fairly even in favor of a K-8 school or a charter school. The highly positive responses overall for the continuation of New Harmony School suggest a receptiveness to meaningful structural changes that will ensure the school’s
long-term existence and reflect its recognized status as leader and innovator in public education.
( Based on the 2000 census, the number of responses allows for a 95% response confidence factor, ensuring that results from a repitition of the survey would fall within + or – 6.5% of the current results.)
Eighty-nine percent of respondents agree that a local school is necessary to long-term community sustainability. Responses favor including New Harmony School in the town’s economic growth and historic preservation plans. Eighty-three percent see local control of the school important to ensuring a quality education.
An overwhelming majority (97%) of respondents believe New Harmony School contributes to the social dynamic of the community, while eighty-four percent agree that the school plays an important role in the local economy. Eighty-seven percent say they would vote favorably in a referendum to keep New Hamony School present in the community.
Furthermore, survey participants are satisfied with New Harmony School’s fiscal performance. For instance, seventy-seven percent agree that the school has acted responsibly in the current economic climate. A solid majority (74%) also support the school’s plan of changes and sacrifices to reduce debt. And paying off the school building in 2009 is viewed by most (90%) as strong support for the school’s continued presence.
Responses to possible reorganization of the school under alternative structures varied widely:
Downsizing to a publicly funded K-8 school: 43% favorable.
Applying to become a charter school: 48% favorable.
Converting to a private school: 23% favorable.
Maintaining a publicly funded K-12 school: 79% favorable.
In sum, the survey results clearly reflect a strong desire to retain New Harmony School. Less clear is a consensus on what form the continued existence of the school would take. A majority prefers a continuation of the current K-12 structure. However, given the current trends in state politics, the status quo seems unlikely. Survey respondents show an openness toward alternative structures fairly even in favor of a K-8 school or a charter school. The highly positive responses overall for the continuation of New Harmony School suggest a receptiveness to meaningful structural changes that will ensure the school’s
long-term existence and reflect its recognized status as leader and innovator in public education.
( Based on the 2000 census, the number of responses allows for a 95% response confidence factor, ensuring that results from a repitition of the survey would fall within + or – 6.5% of the current results.)
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