New correspondence policy closer to
reality at Glenwood High School
New Ball principal hired; GHS student speaks out
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The much-debated and controversial topic of correspondence classes at Glenwood High
School took another major twist at Monday's regular Ball-Chatham Board of Education meeting.
The nearly four-hour marathon meeting included lengthy discussion about the
correspondence issue, including a 4-3 vote to pass the first reading of a new policy. In order to
take effect, the policy will have to pass a second reading in May.
Board members and Supt. Bob Gillum endured an even longer evening, with an executive
session that followed the regular meeting lasting over an hour. Board President Rick Carr
indicated that the only action taken from executive session involved approving previous meeting
minutes.
•The GHS correspondence policy issue had been on the back burner for a couple of months,
but resurfaced Monday. With a couple of parent requests for a waiver of the current policy
serving as a backdrop, board members debated the issue once again, with the discussion
turning contentious at times, especially, once again, between board members Kathy Lundin
and Patrick Hansen.
Two drafts of proposed correspondence policies were presented before the board, one
authored by Hansen and the other by Gillum, and there was only one minor difference between
the two. A major focus point of the discussion involved whether correspondence classes
should be implemented as pass/fail or be credited with individual grades that could be
included on a transcript and student GPA.
The current policy, which has been in effect for over a decade, states that students who are of
senior standing only are allowed to take up to two correspondence courses for up to two full
credits, and they can be taken for a grade and count toward their GPA.
The policy put forth by Hansen states that students can take correspondence courses upon
completion of their second semester of high school, with grades to be noted as pass/fail and a
"C" on the transcript. Correspondence courses would not count in a student's GPA.
The only difference in Gillum's proposal was that students could count the course towards
their scholarship, or unweighted, GPA.
"It's the grade thing that scares me," Hansen explained. "It leaves the policy susceptible to
unfairness and 'gaming of the system'."
"What is the harm in giving a grade?" Lundin asked. "I don't understand why giving pass/fail is
a good thing."
Gillum's proposal was based on "finding a middle ground. The grade is always going to be
the sticking point in these discussions," he said.
Later, Hansen called for a vote on his draft, but before it was taken, more comments were
made.
"There is a need to have a new policy to govern this issue," stated board member Matt
Keppler. "We've looked at examples from other schools, and it's not clear what the best option
is. It's time to make a decision now, and it can always be changed in the future."
"This policy we are getting ready to vote on is not what came out of the administrative
recommendation," Carr added. "That's the disappointment I have. This is what these people
do for a living, and we have completely disregarded what our administration has brought to us."
The vote was taken, and the measure passed 4-3, and will now be put on the agenda for its
second reading next month. If approved again, it would take effect, though when that would
officially happen would also have to be determined. Would a new policy take effect
immediately, impacting current GHS students, or would it wait to be implemented with an
upcoming incoming freshman class?
Hansen, Joe Hartzler, Keppler and Mike Falter all voted in favor of the new policy, with Lundin,
Carr and Mark Bartolozzi voting against.
•The board has hired Cathy Rogers as the new principal at Ball Elementary, effective July 1.
Rogers will take over for the retiring Linda Carter.
Rogers currently serves as the principal for Andalusia Elementary in the Rockridge School
District, located near the Quad Cities. She has also served as that district's Special Education
Coordinator and PreK Director the past three years.
There were a total of 18 applicants for the position, and the interview process involved a team
of five who interviewed seven candidates. Three finalists were then interviewed by a team of 12
district representatives, including board members Carr and Hansen.
•A number of Glenwood High School juniors were on hand to show support for guidance
counselor David Penk, who was recently voluntarily reassigned to a classroom teaching
position at GMS next school year.
Junior class president Matt Hartzler, son of board member Hartzler, spoke to the board. With
guidance counselors at Glenwood now starting with a freshman class and staying with that
same class for four years, Hartzler argued that the board should reconsider and allow Penk to
stay as a guidance counselor at least one more year.
Current juniors at GHS have had Penk as a counselor for three years now, but would have to
adjust to a new counselor starting next year should Penk move to a teaching position.
"We cannot argue with the administration," Hartzler stated. "We do not have the same
information as they do. We're asking the school board as a third party to look into this. A large
majority of the students feel this may not be the right decision."
Hartzler said he had sent out surveys to the entire junior class, with 182 returned, and 176
coming back in favor of Penk staying on as guidance counselor.
"The ball's in your court," he concluded to the board. "I'm just asking you to do something with
it."
School officials are limited in what they can say publicly about the situation, since it is a
personnel issue. Carr confirmed that Penk took a voluntary reassignment to a new position,
but the circumstances surrounding what made that decision come about are murky.
Carr added that he admired the GHS students who came in support of Penk, and that his own
son, Blain, went through GHS with Penk as his guidance counselor.
"Those kids were there to support David Penk and I commend them for that," Carr stated.
"The problem is that we listened to what was said, but as board members we couldn't
respond. It's a personnel issue and an administrative decision that was made. I suppose the
board has the authority to change an administrative decision, but I think for a board to not
support the administration on a personnel decision is wrong. I would be very reluctant as a
school board member to overturn a decision supported by the superintendent."
Lisa Holquist, a parent of a current GHS junior, also spoke to the board in support of Penk.
•The board did approve a request (6-1 vote, Hartzler no) for a waiver of the current
correspondence policy at GHS. The request came from parents Dr. Bryan and Sarah Albracht,
and Jeff Hunt. Their daughters, current freshmen Madeleine Albracht and Carly Hunt, would
like to take an online Latin correspondence course this summer and receive credit.
All three parents spoke to the board at the beginning of the meeting, with the recent example
of a waiver being granted for another Glenwood student (Hannah Werth) mentioned on several
occasions.
The sticking point in any discussions about the correspondence issue always seems to
center around the pass/fail or grade issue, and this situation was no different. The parents
were insistent that their children be allowed to have the course count for a grade (along with
being able to be included on their transcript and count toward their GPA), and in the end their
request was granted.
•District technology director Scott Hruby talked to the board about major cabling and data
wiring issues at four buildings - GMS, GIS, BE and CE. He proposed a brand new system be
installed in each building, complete with cable trays and color coded cables. He was
authorized to come back in May to the board with bid specs and prices from possible vendors,
and the project could be a costly one, but necessary, Hruby insisted.
Work could be completed this summer, he added, if the district moves quickly. In the long run,
he continued, the project would save the district money, as the current systems in those four
buildings are beyond inefficient and a costly mess to troubleshoot when problems arise.
•Parents of Glenwood High School boys and girls swim team members have paid for pool
rental fees during the program's initial two years. With the programs established and
flourishing now, the GHS administration has recommended that the district now pick up the tab
for the rental fees in future years. The fees were just under $4,300 this past year, and the board
approved the request.
•The board approved a bid of $41,820 from E. L. Pruitt for installation work for the seven new
rooftop units to be installed at GIS this summer.
The board also authorized the early payment for the rooftop units, which will be delivered soon
and stored outside of GIS. By paying early, the board receives the units early and gets a one
percent discount on the total bill, which now stands at $584, 679.15.
The units were to be paid for in the next fiscal year budget, but in order to assure the units
could be installed in time for the 2008-09 school year, district officials urged the board to
authorize the early payment, thus leaving plenty of time for installation and also capturing the
discount.
•The following personnel moves were approved by the Ball-Chatham School Board:
The board accepted the resignations of: Laura Atkins (GIS bus duty), Meghan Gonzalez (GMS
winter poms coach), Jamie Berry (GMS head wrestling coach), Jackie Bartels (GMS asst.
volleyball coach), Caroline Bluthardt (GMS cashier), Diane Schrodt (CE team leader) and
Kristen Wilbern (GMS winter poms coach) and Brian Farnsworth (GMS Asst. Principal/Athletic
Director).
The board voted to employ: David Snow (CE playground supervisor), Erica Bowsher (human
resources adm. assistant), Emma Bruce (GHS special needs aide) and B. J. Murray (GMS
head wrestling coach). The board also voted to renew the winter coaches for the 2008-09
seasons, of which there are currently six openings.
The school board will hold its election of officers at the May 19 meeting.
reality at Glenwood High School
New Ball principal hired; GHS student speaks out
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The much-debated and controversial topic of correspondence classes at Glenwood High
School took another major twist at Monday's regular Ball-Chatham Board of Education meeting.
The nearly four-hour marathon meeting included lengthy discussion about the
correspondence issue, including a 4-3 vote to pass the first reading of a new policy. In order to
take effect, the policy will have to pass a second reading in May.
Board members and Supt. Bob Gillum endured an even longer evening, with an executive
session that followed the regular meeting lasting over an hour. Board President Rick Carr
indicated that the only action taken from executive session involved approving previous meeting
minutes.
•The GHS correspondence policy issue had been on the back burner for a couple of months,
but resurfaced Monday. With a couple of parent requests for a waiver of the current policy
serving as a backdrop, board members debated the issue once again, with the discussion
turning contentious at times, especially, once again, between board members Kathy Lundin
and Patrick Hansen.
Two drafts of proposed correspondence policies were presented before the board, one
authored by Hansen and the other by Gillum, and there was only one minor difference between
the two. A major focus point of the discussion involved whether correspondence classes
should be implemented as pass/fail or be credited with individual grades that could be
included on a transcript and student GPA.
The current policy, which has been in effect for over a decade, states that students who are of
senior standing only are allowed to take up to two correspondence courses for up to two full
credits, and they can be taken for a grade and count toward their GPA.
The policy put forth by Hansen states that students can take correspondence courses upon
completion of their second semester of high school, with grades to be noted as pass/fail and a
"C" on the transcript. Correspondence courses would not count in a student's GPA.
The only difference in Gillum's proposal was that students could count the course towards
their scholarship, or unweighted, GPA.
"It's the grade thing that scares me," Hansen explained. "It leaves the policy susceptible to
unfairness and 'gaming of the system'."
"What is the harm in giving a grade?" Lundin asked. "I don't understand why giving pass/fail is
a good thing."
Gillum's proposal was based on "finding a middle ground. The grade is always going to be
the sticking point in these discussions," he said.
Later, Hansen called for a vote on his draft, but before it was taken, more comments were
made.
"There is a need to have a new policy to govern this issue," stated board member Matt
Keppler. "We've looked at examples from other schools, and it's not clear what the best option
is. It's time to make a decision now, and it can always be changed in the future."
"This policy we are getting ready to vote on is not what came out of the administrative
recommendation," Carr added. "That's the disappointment I have. This is what these people
do for a living, and we have completely disregarded what our administration has brought to us."
The vote was taken, and the measure passed 4-3, and will now be put on the agenda for its
second reading next month. If approved again, it would take effect, though when that would
officially happen would also have to be determined. Would a new policy take effect
immediately, impacting current GHS students, or would it wait to be implemented with an
upcoming incoming freshman class?
Hansen, Joe Hartzler, Keppler and Mike Falter all voted in favor of the new policy, with Lundin,
Carr and Mark Bartolozzi voting against.
•The board has hired Cathy Rogers as the new principal at Ball Elementary, effective July 1.
Rogers will take over for the retiring Linda Carter.
Rogers currently serves as the principal for Andalusia Elementary in the Rockridge School
District, located near the Quad Cities. She has also served as that district's Special Education
Coordinator and PreK Director the past three years.
There were a total of 18 applicants for the position, and the interview process involved a team
of five who interviewed seven candidates. Three finalists were then interviewed by a team of 12
district representatives, including board members Carr and Hansen.
•A number of Glenwood High School juniors were on hand to show support for guidance
counselor David Penk, who was recently voluntarily reassigned to a classroom teaching
position at GMS next school year.
Junior class president Matt Hartzler, son of board member Hartzler, spoke to the board. With
guidance counselors at Glenwood now starting with a freshman class and staying with that
same class for four years, Hartzler argued that the board should reconsider and allow Penk to
stay as a guidance counselor at least one more year.
Current juniors at GHS have had Penk as a counselor for three years now, but would have to
adjust to a new counselor starting next year should Penk move to a teaching position.
"We cannot argue with the administration," Hartzler stated. "We do not have the same
information as they do. We're asking the school board as a third party to look into this. A large
majority of the students feel this may not be the right decision."
Hartzler said he had sent out surveys to the entire junior class, with 182 returned, and 176
coming back in favor of Penk staying on as guidance counselor.
"The ball's in your court," he concluded to the board. "I'm just asking you to do something with
it."
School officials are limited in what they can say publicly about the situation, since it is a
personnel issue. Carr confirmed that Penk took a voluntary reassignment to a new position,
but the circumstances surrounding what made that decision come about are murky.
Carr added that he admired the GHS students who came in support of Penk, and that his own
son, Blain, went through GHS with Penk as his guidance counselor.
"Those kids were there to support David Penk and I commend them for that," Carr stated.
"The problem is that we listened to what was said, but as board members we couldn't
respond. It's a personnel issue and an administrative decision that was made. I suppose the
board has the authority to change an administrative decision, but I think for a board to not
support the administration on a personnel decision is wrong. I would be very reluctant as a
school board member to overturn a decision supported by the superintendent."
Lisa Holquist, a parent of a current GHS junior, also spoke to the board in support of Penk.
•The board did approve a request (6-1 vote, Hartzler no) for a waiver of the current
correspondence policy at GHS. The request came from parents Dr. Bryan and Sarah Albracht,
and Jeff Hunt. Their daughters, current freshmen Madeleine Albracht and Carly Hunt, would
like to take an online Latin correspondence course this summer and receive credit.
All three parents spoke to the board at the beginning of the meeting, with the recent example
of a waiver being granted for another Glenwood student (Hannah Werth) mentioned on several
occasions.
The sticking point in any discussions about the correspondence issue always seems to
center around the pass/fail or grade issue, and this situation was no different. The parents
were insistent that their children be allowed to have the course count for a grade (along with
being able to be included on their transcript and count toward their GPA), and in the end their
request was granted.
•District technology director Scott Hruby talked to the board about major cabling and data
wiring issues at four buildings - GMS, GIS, BE and CE. He proposed a brand new system be
installed in each building, complete with cable trays and color coded cables. He was
authorized to come back in May to the board with bid specs and prices from possible vendors,
and the project could be a costly one, but necessary, Hruby insisted.
Work could be completed this summer, he added, if the district moves quickly. In the long run,
he continued, the project would save the district money, as the current systems in those four
buildings are beyond inefficient and a costly mess to troubleshoot when problems arise.
•Parents of Glenwood High School boys and girls swim team members have paid for pool
rental fees during the program's initial two years. With the programs established and
flourishing now, the GHS administration has recommended that the district now pick up the tab
for the rental fees in future years. The fees were just under $4,300 this past year, and the board
approved the request.
•The board approved a bid of $41,820 from E. L. Pruitt for installation work for the seven new
rooftop units to be installed at GIS this summer.
The board also authorized the early payment for the rooftop units, which will be delivered soon
and stored outside of GIS. By paying early, the board receives the units early and gets a one
percent discount on the total bill, which now stands at $584, 679.15.
The units were to be paid for in the next fiscal year budget, but in order to assure the units
could be installed in time for the 2008-09 school year, district officials urged the board to
authorize the early payment, thus leaving plenty of time for installation and also capturing the
discount.
•The following personnel moves were approved by the Ball-Chatham School Board:
The board accepted the resignations of: Laura Atkins (GIS bus duty), Meghan Gonzalez (GMS
winter poms coach), Jamie Berry (GMS head wrestling coach), Jackie Bartels (GMS asst.
volleyball coach), Caroline Bluthardt (GMS cashier), Diane Schrodt (CE team leader) and
Kristen Wilbern (GMS winter poms coach) and Brian Farnsworth (GMS Asst. Principal/Athletic
Director).
The board voted to employ: David Snow (CE playground supervisor), Erica Bowsher (human
resources adm. assistant), Emma Bruce (GHS special needs aide) and B. J. Murray (GMS
head wrestling coach). The board also voted to renew the winter coaches for the 2008-09
seasons, of which there are currently six openings.
The school board will hold its election of officers at the May 19 meeting.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: April 24, 2008