Thank you Worthington Voters!

The first question my kids asked when they woke up this morning was whether the levy passed. Levy Issue 49 passed 59% to 41%. They celebrated with whoops and hollers!

I'm thrilled that a majority of voters see the inherent value of supporting our schools. Thank you Worthington Voters!

Remember to Vote for Issue 49 tomorrow!!!!

It's easy to forget when election day comes around, so remember that tomorrow is the big one. Be sure to organize your day so that you have time to visit the polls. There are lots of important issues on the ballot this fall, and we really need your support for your schools and the children of Worthington! And please remind everyone else you know to get out and vote!

Thanks for visiting the blog this fall!

A Little Night Music?

My 5th grader has been running around loudly humming a number of classical melodies lately. She recites funny little poems about great classical composers and keeps referring to "A Little Night Music."  "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, is it mom?" "Can we get some Mozart on disc mom? I really love this music."

Now, the surprise for me here is that she's been playing piano for several years and hearing classical music at home, but has never, not until this year, expressed an interest in this music. And to hear her tell it, this new engagement with classical music is attributable to one, school-related, levy-related program - ELEMENTARY MUSIC.

When I think about the ways that this experience widens her perspective, it brings a great deal of satifaction to me. Classical music... Foreign Language... History... Systems (yes, a symphony is a system). This is the kind of education that results in children who are engaged in learning and exploration. Very exciting. Don't let these programs die! VOTE FOR  49!!

Get Out the Vote Effort: Sunday, November 1

It's crunch time with the Issue 49 campaign, with less than two weeks to go.   We are on a roll, but we need your help to finish with 50 plus 1 percent of the vote.

If you support this levy, now is the time to act.

We need volunteers for:   GOTV - or Get Out The Vote!
Sunday, November 1   11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

We need approximately140 walkers who can givetwo hours of their time, any time during the five hours scheduled. Walk the neighborhoods and hit the supportive voters one last time before November 3rd.   Start at the Worthington Education building, pick up your map, addresses and literature then drive to your assigned precinct area. Great exercise, and more fun with a friend.


THIS IS STRICTLY A LIT DROP- YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO ANYONE UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO SO!

Rockbridge Academy - A Second Chance for At-Risk Students

I realize I have neglected to write for a while - sorry it has taken me so long to get back to the blog!

For students who require an expulsion alternative, Rockbridge Academy provides a place where they can receive the appropriate mental health counseling, when indicated, and keep up with their academics.

This program provides a safety net for those kids most at-risk for dropping out of school, once they have gotten into trouble. It serves not only kids in Worthington, but also surrounding communities who pay the district to serve students in other districts who could benefit from it.

From an individual perspective, this program can have success with kids who need a second chance. Imagine if just a few of these kids got back into school via this program and finished their high school education. It would make a huge difference for these individuals and this program does have success with students. Discontinuing the program leaves very few options for those kids who have challenges functioning in the general high school environment.

From a societal perspective,  there are bigger, consequences for discontinuing the program. For every kid who drops out, the risk for either getting into further trouble or needing to rely on public assistance to get by increases. The cost is far less to reach out and help these students stay in school with Rockbridge Academy.

The Bottom Line - Defeat will surely impact property values

For those opposed to the school levy, arguments trend toward a desire to keep taxes in check. In other words, to keep money in the pockets of the homeowners in the school district. However, a more compelling argument can be made that by supporting a strong school system, by voting FOR the levy, in fact, you are voting to protect and improve property values and thus ensure that the investment residents have made in their community will one day pay off. When property owners go to sell their homes, not only is it easier to attract buyers in a great school district, they can command a higher price for their property. "In terms of quality rankings, excellence at the elementary and high school levels has the strongest impact on property values."

For those unconvinced that the programs at risk are important, you can be sure that parents looking to move to a new community highly value these programs and are willing to pay higher prices for a house to get them. When the high quality of education goes elsewhere, so will home buyers.You will surely benefit from listing Worthington Schools on your property sheet, so long as they have the funds to stay strong.

Voting against Issue 49 denies  schools the funds they needs to maintain the excellence they have worked so hard to achieve, and that has come to contribute to the perception that Worthington is a superb community in which to live. We don't want to be in the same place as Grove City homeowners two years from now.

Middle Schoolers Need Guidance

Middle school - collective groan. Adolescence--Can we fast forward yet? Most of us remember the awkward changes, the increasingly complex social navigation, and the struggles to stay focused in school amid all of the pressures of passing through the middle school years. And let's admit that rarely are they fond memories.

For those of us who had added stresses, such as divorces, moves, learning disabilities, or poverty, sometimes the only respite was getting to the guidance counselor (or being sent) and finding someone who would listen and offer strategies for making it through.

 The middle school years are often a defining moment in a person's life; it is a time when children make choices about their paths and most need guidance. When they lack that guidance at home, for whatever reason,  school is plan B. Outside of home, it's the place they spend most of their time and will find people who care.While guidance counselors are not social workers, one of their functions is to support students as they make their way through school.

I would imagine that guidance counselors in middle school attend to problems today that are far more complex than they were twenty or thirty years ago. They help children sort out their problems as well as support their wise choices.

Our children cannot do without nor should they have to do without the safety net provided by middle school guidance counselors. But this is what could happen should the levy not pass in November. One of the slated cuts is middle school guidance counselors.