There have been a couple of articles recently about a really good idea that is being pursued by three local school districts in Lancaster County. They are making their campuses more open by sharing teachers, having before hours, and after hours classes, and using technology to enhance (rather than provide) their teaching.

As we work on our strategic plan, we have been considering some of the same things. This sort of innovation and cooperation speaks well of the leadership at the three districts—especially Penn Manor who came up with the idea. As budgetary realities start slamming us in the noggin, this sort of creativity is going to be critical. It will, no doubt, become more of the norm, but the people that come up with the ideas first should get some credit. So kudos!

Astute observers of education should recognize that the locus of control over education is shifting. Monolithic public school districts are breaking down. This is both necessary and good. The system is going to (has to) change. We can hope that more power and control over the process is restored to the parents and to the locals. (See the article that I posted recently from First Things on why this is good.)

Here are the articles:

3 school districts will merge teaching efforts article

PM supports open campus plan

Note, however, in an article published today (which people have not yet tied together) that the other shoe is poised to fall. Hempfield, one of the districts involved in the open campus idea, is facing a $4.4 million budget shortfall next year. Sharing teachers means needing fewer teachers. Open campus is, no doubt, a prelude to fewer teachers. This is a necessary correction, but no one seems to see it coming yet, so you heard it first here. Here is the article:

Hempfield facing budget short fall

This week, there was news in the paper that the teachers in the Conestoga Valley Districts (where Veritas Academy resides and where my family lives) have agreed to a decreased salary increase next year. This will save the district about $300,000. Two points: (more…)

The Ides are a day for changes. You might have wondered why I have been quiet over the last few weeks—so much has been going on. I will be back at it again. Note, there will be a few changes in the blog. First, I am going to be talking a lot more about what is going on and what will be going on at Veritas Academy. I have been knee (sometimes neck) deep in doing strategic planning at the school. I am going to start to lay our vision of the future out here in the blog. I welcome your feedback. Also, I am going to try to give you a view of what is going on—sometime really amazing things—at Veritas Academy. I will also post about all that is going on in the world—especially the educational world.

Today, I woke to find that the Hempfield teachers are possibly the smartest in the state. Teachers in many districts have turned down pay freeze proposals. Hempfield was smart enough to accept it—overwhelmingly. I have family members that teach in the district and my hat is off to them. They, unlike every other district that has considered this so far in PA, realize that this is not about 3% this year, nor is it about protecting hard fought collective bargaining rights (actually they are protecting these things by taking the freeze). It is about the survival of public education in PA. Honestly, the next five years are going to be interesting. Things could look radically…and I mean radically…different just five (maybe even three) years from now.