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EVSC Schools in Need of Dramatic Improvement Just to Attain Mediocrity

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Dunce

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. received nine failing school accountability grades from the Indiana Department of Education, compared to the 15 “Fs” the district received the previous school year. Five EVSC schools were awarded “A” grades. Eight schools received “Bs,” nine “Cs” and four “Ds.” When taking these grades and calculating the GPA (grade point average) for the EVSC the GPA computes to an academic probation level of 1.88

The EVSC schools that got an A were Cynthia Heights Elementary, Highland Elementary, Oak Hill School, Scott School and Tekoppel Elementary.

EVSC’s Glenwood Leadership Academy, which could be in danger of state takeover and was also expected to be a topic of discussion at the board meeting, received its seventh ‘F” in a row proving once and for all that naming a failing school after an elite prep school does not make it an elite prep school.

Other EVSC schools that received failing grades were the Academy for Innovative Studies, Caze Elementary, Dexter Elementary, Evans School, Lincoln School, Lodge Community School, McGary Middle School and Washington Middle School.

The Catholic schools fared much better with both Memorial and Mater Dei getting A’s to lead the diocese schools to a composite GPA of 3.38

Warrick County did even better with a grade card loaded with A’s and a composite score of 3.68

It seemed like the further one got from downtown Evansville the better the scores got with both the EVSC and the other metro area counties culminating in the North Posey District seeing every school get an A for a perfect 4.0.

In the world of private and magnet schools Signature School that is a perennial top ten program in the country, Evansville Christian School, and Evansville Day School all received an A. The Joshua Academy was the lone exception scoring a D.

The other takeaway is that the spending per pupil in the EVSC is significantly higher than it is in any of the other programs proving again that you can’t fix education problems by throwing money at a failing system.

Overall with scores like this the EVSC seems to need to wear a dunce cap while standing in the corner waiting for a good old fashioned spanking. The truly disgusting part of the EVSC’s 1.88 grade is the positive spin that is put onto what is clearly a system that needs to improve to even call itself mediocre. The EVSC like many of the local government entities and affiliates will continue to fail as long as unacceptable performance is celebrated publicly. IS IT TRUE it is time for the EVSC to take a trip to the woodshed.

Newburgh ordinance allows it to block town from providing sewer service

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by Jennifer Nelson  Newburgh_NY_sealDecember 23 , 2013

The Indiana Court of Appeals Monday decided that the town of Newburgh was statutorily authorized to pass an ordinance prohibiting others from providing new sewer services to customers within four miles of its corporate boundaries.

The town of Chandler sued Newburgh in Warrick Superior Court in April 2012, trying to get the judge to say Newburgh’s ordinance couldn’t prohibit Chandler from providing new sewer services in an overlapping area. For years the two towns have been providing sewer services within the four-mile rings outside their boundaries, which somewhat overlap. In 2007, Newburgh, pursuant to I.C. 36-9-2-16, -17 and -18, passed the ordinance that gave it an exclusive license to furnish sewer service in the regulated territory.

A developer wanted to build in the regulated territory and got estimates from Newburgh and Chandler on sewer services for the subdivision. The developer chose Chandler because Newburgh’s estimate was much higher. Newburgh then sued the developer for violating its ordinance.

Chandler passed a similar ordinance six weeks after Newburgh. The trial court denied summary judgment for either town.

In Town of Newburgh v. Town of Chandler, 87A01-1305-CT-203, the appellate judges ruled in favor of Newburgh, pointing out that it was the first to pass the ordinance. Courts have long used a first-in-time rule, in the absence of other legislative direction, to resolve disputes when two municipalities possess concurrent and complete jurisdiction of a subject matter.

The statutes in question give municipalities several powers, including the ability to prohibit the furnishing of sewer services within four miles of their boundaries. In order to do so, the municipality must pass an ordinance, which Newburgh did in April 2007.

Chandler put forth several arguments as to why it should prevail, but the appellate court relied on the first-in-time rule.

Senior Judge Randall Shepard noted that Chandler and two amici curiae, the Warrick County Commissioners and the City of Boonville, may have a valid argument that Newburgh’s ordinance will chill economic development. The parties claim Newburgh only enforces the ordinance when significant sewer fees are expected, making developers hesitant to invest in projects in Newburgh’s extraterritorial areas because they worry they will be sued if they choose a cheaper sewer provider.

“Resolution of disputes like the one before us by a commission in the executive branch could likely produce more effective and efficient results. The creation of such mechanisms, however, is in the domain of the legislature and not the courts,” he wrote.

EPD Activity REPORT 12.23.2013

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EPD PATCH 2012

EPD Activity REPORT 12.23.2013

St. Mary’s Associates bid grateful and tearful farewell to their leader

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The St. Mary’s Manor Auditorium was full of both somber and celebration on Tuesday, December 17th. St. Mary’s Associates held a Retirement Reception for Tim Flesch, who is stepping down as President of St. Mary’s Health in January 2014.

Associates created a good-bye video and a musical tribute to honor Tim’s successful career at St. Mary’s, which began in 1999 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He has served as St. Mary’s President and Chief Executive Officer since May of 2005.

Special guest Mayor Lloyd Winnecke read a proclamation declaring Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 as “Timothy A. Flesch Day” in Evansville.

Tim also paid tribute to Sister Jane Burger, a Daughter of Charity and former Senior Vice President of St. Mary’s Mission Integration, who was reassigned by the Daughters this past June.

Tim led St. Mary’s to several milestones during his Presidency. St. Mary’s became the first verified Level II Adult and Pediatric Trauma Centers in Evansville and still remains the only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in this region. St. Mary’s nurses achieved Magnet status, the gold standard of nursing care, which is earned by only 7% of all hospitals in the nation. Tim oversaw the growth of St. Mary’s Physician Network and helped dramatically improve St. Mary’s patient care scores. St. Mary’s Center for Advanced Medicine was also constructed soon after he became President and CEO and St. Mary’s Epworth Crossing is set to open in February 2014.

Evansville-native Keith Jewell is succeeding Tim as President of St. Mary’s Health.

The St. Mary’s Medical Center Foundation would like to thank Tim for his leadership and we wish him a relaxing and well-deserved retirement!

The Arts Council announces first 2014 BSF Gallery Exhibit, Art Noir

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artscouncil  The Arts Council is excited to kick-off 2014 with Art Noir, a black and white juried exhibit. This year’s Art Noir exhibit has been opened to include all media, and will be showing January 16th through February 6th at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana’s Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery, located at 318 Main Street in downtown Evansville. This year’s juror is local photographer and designer, Fred Reaves. Reaves owns and operates Image One Photo & Design and Image One Fai (Fine Art Images) in Henderson, KY. Reaves, an award winning commercial photographer and graphic designer has been working professionally for 37 years with a primary focus on architectural and industrial photography and graphic design. Client lists include such internationally based companies as Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Peabody Coal, SGS Inc., Whirlpool Corporation, Earnest Sewn Jeans, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Jofco, Kimball International, The Christian Church of Kentucky, Atlas Van Lines, Agrotain International, and Maker’s Mark Distillery.

Reaves, is a graduate of the Murray State University Department of Art and Design with a degree in photography and graphic design. As an accomplished fine arts photographer his work can be found in galleries and museum shops as well as in private and corporate collections both nationally and internationally. He has taught numerous photographic workshops for high school aged photographers as well as Advanced Studio Lighting Techniques and Intermediate Photography classes in the Visual Communications Dept. at Ivy Tech State College in Indiana. For more information about this year’s juror, visit www.fredreaves.com.  The exhibit calendar and award information is listed below. For more information about Art Noir, visit artswin.org.

Exhibit Calendar:

Artist Registration Deadline – Jan. 6, by 4pm

Artist Works Received – Jan. 14, by 4pm

Artist Notification Email – Jan. 15, by 4pm

Artist Non-accepted Pick-up – Jan. 16, by 4pm

Public Art Noir Reception – Jan. 24, 5-7pm

Artist Displayed Work Pick-up – Feb. 6, by 4pm

 

Awards: 

Best of Show – $300

1st Place – $200

2nd Place – $100

3rd Place – $50

Hoosiers students give back: Part 2 of 2

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Last week, I highlighted some of the ways students in Posey and Vanderburgh Counties were giving back this holiday season at the high school and middle school levels. This week, I would like to recognize the students in our younger grades that have been working very hard to make sure everyone has a brighter holiday.

West Terrace Elementary school in Evansville has been continuing their Angel Fund program, which they do every year. This program includes families adopting other families who need a little extra help this season. Students and parents either make monetary donations or buy for children under the age of 18. The school then helps out wherever they are needed and strive to make sure every child has a gift on Christmas.  Meanwhile, Marrs Elementary saw a need around Thanksgiving and worked to collect canned food items for the Posey County food bank. Afterwards, they began to look around to find what the other needs were in the community. The Student Council has been volunteering with other groups in the community at the soup kitchens at the local United Methodist church.

It’s always great to see kids give back, but I think what is even more special is kids coming up with their own ideas and seeing those ideas through to the end. Saint Matthew Elementary School in Mount Vernon let the students decide every year what they are going to do around the holiday season to help out their community. This year, students held a toy drive and brought in new toys, books or stuffed animals to benefit the Posey County gift assistance program. The toy drive has been a competition with two grades working together as a team with awards given to those who collect the most items.  Students at St. Philip have been Christmas caroling at local nursing homes, and everyone at the school in Kindergarten through eighth grade wrote Christmas cards to send servicemen and women for the Holiday for Hero’s campaign.

At Farmersville Elementary School the Student Council has been encouraging students to bring in canned food items, boxed goods and have come up with another unique idea. Students are being encouraged to bring in socks for the school’s “Socks for Seniors” program. All the new socks that are brought in will go the area nursing homes residents for Christmas.

Students in Posey and Vanderburgh Counties realize what Christmas is all about and have set a great example for us to follow. There is something special knowing in a small way you were able to help make someone’s Christmas special.  If you would like to help out any of these schools in their efforts, please call the schools main office. From my family to yours, have a joyous holiday season and a very Merry Christmas!

IS IT TRUE December 24, 2013

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Santa Clause and his Reindeer
Santa Clause and his Reindeer

IS IT TRUE we open today’s column by wishing each and every one of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year?…we also wish our readership and the world at large a Happy Hannakah, Happy Kwanza, and a personal winter greeting of whatever each and every person celebrates a good wish for their own personal holiday?…we even offer the non-believers among us a hearty Heathen’s Greetings?…we prefer to be as politically incorrect as possible by calling each and every holiday by name and wishing all of our readers a great day on each of them?

IS IT TRUE we are watching with careful consideration the Republicans who are expressing a formal interest in the Indiana House of Representatives seat being vacated by Susanne Crouch to accept the State Auditor’s role in the Pence Administration?…there are some characteristics that the CCO would like to see in the next representative and among those traits are honesty, a life of not being adulterated by politics, and most importantly the ability to engage in cognizant thought processes that stand for something?…what we do not want to see is a person that is another tired old retread that has not earned an honest dollar from private enterprise in recent history?…we are sure there are several tired old political patronage types who will lobby for this appointment but we encourage the powers in charge of this decision to avoid lifetime politicians like the plague?…that actually goes for all political offices in 2014?

IS IT TRUE the Obama administration has now issued a formal, public document clarifying the following as its official positions:
1) That being subjected to the disruptive and costly effects of Obamacare constitutes suffering a “hardship.”
2) That an Obamacare-imposed hardship is sufficient grounds for claiming an exemption from Obamacare.
3) That individuals who suffer the hardship of losing their previous, “substandard” insurance, will be granted relief by being allowed to purchase replacement insurance that is “substandard.”
IS IT TRUE these implicit admissions are stunning, to say the least?…given that this is part of the administration’s larger effort to suppress the rising tide of negative Obamacare stories simply makes the admissions even more flabbergasting?…the administration has now reached the point where its defense of its signature, revolutionary health-reform law is basically: “We’re replacing your substandard coverage with our substandard coverage?”…that just yesterday it was decided to extend the time that people can sign up that has been the target that moved 3 times to Christmas Eve?

IS IT TRUE we above all wish safety and happiness for our readers on this wonderful day and will come back swinging tomorrow?…the CCO says Merry Christmas to all?

EPD Activity Report: December 22, 2013

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EPD PATCH 2012

EPD Activity Report: December 22, 2013

IS IT TRUE December 23, 2013

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Mole #3 Nostradamus of Local Politics
Mole #3 Nostradamus of Local Politics

IS IT TRUE December 23, 2013

IS IT TRUE that we and other media sources reported last week on the abysmal grades earned by the schools of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation from the State of Indiana?…as a reminder EVSC had 9 schools that got an F, 4 that got a D, 9 that got a C, 8 that got a B, and only 5 (all elementary) that got an A?…if a college registrar calculated the Grade Point Average (GPA) for the EVSC that score would work out to 1.88 or below academic probation levels?…all other local school systems scored about a 3.0 and one scored a 4.0?…we have to ask some questions about the dramatic difference between the EVSC students and every other local school corporation including the Catholic diocese schools and charter schools?…the “ISLAND OF IDIOTS” argument for Evansville does not hold water because the Catholic schools, private schools, and charter schools in the same geographic footprint scored acceptably?…there is even one school called the Glenwood Leadership Academy that has a string of Fs going back to the day the name of the school was changed?…EVSC saw merit in putting lipstick on a pig and that trick failed and now the state may come in with corrective action?…the “WE NEED MORE MONEY” argument falls flat on its face because the EVSC has a much larger per pupil spending rate than any of the other school corporations?…the traditional excuses do not explain this disturbing fact away?…when companies are looking for a place to establish or expand one the most important metrics they look for is the performance of the public schools?…we could speculate and opine extensively on the failures of the EVSC to keep up with the farm communities when it comes to education and in the next year we may just do so but for now let’s just suffice to say that a score of 1.88 is not acceptable, stifles the local economy, and makes the future workforce look incapable of taking on difficult tasks?…what we would like to see from the EVSC is a long term improvement plan for academic achievement?…we will publish that plan in its entirety if they will release it?

IS IT TRUE it is encouraging to hear that the State of Indiana may be spreading some cash around to demolish some of the dilapidated houses that plague the state?…it is also good to hear that Mayor Winnecke is “working like the dickens” to get some of this money to be deployed upon the abandoned squalor of Evansville?…former DMD Director Tom Barnett once said that Evansville has 10,000 uninhabitable houses and that it costs between $5,000 and $10,000 to demolish a crap house?…that means Evansville has a $50 Million to $100 Million task ahead of it to rid the land of squalor?…if Mayor Winnecke is successful in getting nearly $20 Million of these dollars that could be enough to do 40% of the job at $5,000 per dilapidated house?…we are crossing our fingers that Evansville gets these funds and uses them for the purpose intended as opposed to trying to build some fun and games nonsense in the name of blight removal?

IS IT TRUE we are ending another year that the City of Evansville has no relevant master plan in place?…all we want for Christmas is a relevant and well thought out master plan as we have now been 7 years without one?…it is astonishing that any competent group of leaders public or private would tolerate such blatant disregard for logic?

IS IT TRUE we all grew up singing the song about a partridge in a pear tree called the 12 days of Christmas?…several of the CCO readers have collaborated on a tongue in cheek localized version of that song?…you may sing along as follows:

On the 12th day of Christmas my city gave to me
12 appointees drinking
11 contractors paying
10 days of comp time
9 officials dancing
8 cronies milking
7 kids not swimming
6 Mayors lying
5 non-working things
4 rotting turds
3 chicken dances
2 buildings rotting
And a new Director of IT

Drunk Driving Can Make Holiday Season Deadly

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st marys logo

st. marys logoU.S. agencies countering with roadside detection, ignition-lock laws, new blood-alcohol technology

MONDAY, Dec. 23, 2013 (HealthDay News) — The holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year on U.S. roads. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, as many as 900 people nationwide could die in crashes caused by drunk driving, safety officials report.

“We’ve made tremendous strides in changing the social norms associated with drinking and driving, but the problem is far from solved,” Jonathan Adkins, deputy executive director for the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) said in an association news release.

“Alcohol-impaired driving claimed 10,322 lives last year, an increase of 4.6 percent compared with 2011,” he said. “That’s an alarming statistic and one we’re committed to address.”

The GHSA and its members — which include all 50 state highway safety offices — are joining federal and state police to launch the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program. The initiative combines high-visibility law enforcement with advertising and grassroots efforts to detect and deter drunk driving.

The program started Dec. 13 and continues through Jan. 1.

In an effort to reduce drunk driving, 18 states have ignition-interlock laws for first-time drunk-driving offenders. The GHSA is encouraging other states to implement such laws.

The association also is partnering with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a long-term study to assess best practices in state ignition-interlock laws. The results are expected to be released in early 2014.

The GHSA also is backing efforts to develop and test new technology called Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety. The system has in-car sensors that measure blood alcohol levels by breath or touch to determine if the driver is below the legal limit for impairment. Although it holds promise, the technology is still in the early phase of development, according to the news release.

Many states have stepped up roadside enforcement programs and public-education campaigns.

The California Office of Traffic Safety, meanwhile, offers a smartphone app that provides maps showing the locations of bars that offer free, nonalcoholic drinks and other incentives to sober designated drivers. The Maryland Highway Safety Office provides workshops to demonstrate how alcohol affects a person’s ability to drive.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about impaired driving.

 

SOURCE: Governors Highway Safety Association, news release, Dec. 17, 2013

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