2009 Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest Invites WCSD High School Music Students
The Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest Board of Directors would like to invite all Washoe County High School Music students to attend the 2009 Festival free of charge.
The 5th year of the Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest will be held on August 15 and 16 with two full days of the greatest blues music and artists. In order to promote the arts and music appreciation among future generations and aspiring student musicians, all high school students who are currently enrolled in music classes or who are members of a band or music related school activity are invited to attend.
Annually, the Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest celebrates the history, culture and spirit of the Blues. The event’s mission is to support music education for youth in the Reno-Tahoe area. The 2009 Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest is scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16, 2009 at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno. The event will start both days at 11 AM, and the final act is scheduled for 8 PM. Some of the artists playing this year will be James Ingram, the Emotions, Shirley Brown, Tommy Castro, among many others, including numerous local bands and groups playing on the second stage. Please visit the website at: www.renotahoebluesfest.com for a full line-up and additional details.
Students should come to the "Will Call" area on the day of the event and present their current student ID to receive their free ticket.
Help your teens get a life this summer
What's that lump on the sofa?
Uh-oh. It's a teenager with no summer plans -- unless you count playing Wii and texting.
Time to help that kid get a life. Never mind that summer's well under way, and all the other kids had jobs, internships, camps and classes lined up long ago.
Some ways teens with nothing to do can use the rest of the season constructively, along with tips for parents to help get them off that couch:
Motivation
Sure, teens may need a little down time, especially if they're busy during the school year. But Mary Jo Rapini, a psychotherapist with The Methodist Hospital in Houston, said "it's not good for kids to do nothing in the summer," she said. "We know for a fact that kids who lie around all day, often times their self-esteem goes down; they get into more trouble; they feel disengaged from families. They get lonely in the summer, and they need attention."
They're at higher risk for teen pregnancy, Rapini said. "They're texting, they're sexting, they have access to all kinds of Web sites. Whenever kids don't have a routine, their lives get chaotic."
If your teen is resistant or lacks initiative, Rapini said the first step for parents is simply "sitting and talking." What is your teen interested in? What is he or she good at? Identify people, businesses or organizations they might contact about a job or volunteering.
Next, parents should help teens practice a pitch they can make that sums up their skills and what they're looking for. Then set a goal for the teen: "I want you to make three calls today. I want to know after each one you call how it went, and I'll cross it off the list."
"You can inspire a kid by presenting a task to solve and saying, 'We've got to work on this. This is our goal,'" Rapini said.
Even if the calls don't lead to a gig, at least the teen made an effort and practiced job-searching skills.
Networking
Teach teens to network by helping create lists of neighbors, friends and relatives. Go through family address books or e-mail lists. Consider the day care center or day camp they attended when they were young, houses of worship or nearby parks. Can they volunteer at an animal shelter or as a reader in a senior center? Are there stores they patronize that might let them help out?
"Or they can call the family veterinarian and say, 'Hey, you're the vet for Fluffy. Can I do assistant
work with you for free this summer?' " said Deena Maerowitz, a college admissions consultant in New York City and Connecticut.
Help your teen come up with a follow-up pitch when the answer is no, Maerowitz said. Does the person they're calling know of other places they might call? Would it be OK to put a sign on the office bulletin board offering pet-sitting?
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial teens should be encouraged to "try their hand at their own business," whether baby-sitting, tutoring, lawn-mowing or dog-walking, said Caroline Ceniza-Levine of Six-Figure Start, a career-coaching firm specializing in students and young professionals.
Help your teen think about marketing: "How are people going to find out about them? Are they going to do fliers? Are they going to put up a Web site? How much would they charge for their service? How much do other people charge?" Ceniza-Levine said.
She stressed that the process can be productive even if it doesn't lead to earning money. A teen interested in animals or sports might set up a blog or Web site on the subject. A teen who dreams of a specialized career might find a professional to shadow for a day. Another good use of time: Learning QuickBooks, PowerPoint or other computer skills.
Volunteering
Finding volunteer gigs can be challenging. "Nonprofits are busier than ever, but often they aren't equipped to take in people off the streets," said Robert Rosenthal, spokesman for VolunteerMatch, in San Francisco.
Fortunately, the VolunteerMatch.org Web site offers thousands of prescreened opportunities, from one-day gigs helping out at a festival to long-term internships in the arts. To find local opportunities for teens, go to volunteermatch.org and click on "Advanced Search" in the green area. Fill in your location, and in the "Great For . . ." box at the bottom, check "Teens."
One organization that lists opportunities on the site is Reading Partners, which provides one-on-one tutors in California elementary schools. A third of the group's 900 volunteers are high school and college students, including Nalini Jain, 16, who organized a summer Reading Partners program at a Mountain View elementary school where most of the children are Hispanic.
'Think small'
For teens who are reluctant take the initiative, "try to think small," Maerowitz said. "If your kid is resisting getting a full-time job or an internship, think of shorter-term projects."
Just don't let them spend the entire summer on the sofa. "I can tell you as a college admissions consultant, it's important for colleges to see kids have done something for the summer," she said. "It doesn't necessarily mean working from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, or creating a nonprofit that saves the world. It's not the time commitment so much as the 'Aha' -- learning something about yourself."
Incoming Washoe superintendent: 'We’ve got to get results'
Heath Morrison has spent almost two decades in education in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.
He started as a social studies teacher at a middle school in Waldorf, Md., where he was a vice principal and principal at a middle school and two high schools. Most recently, he was a community superintendent in Montgomery County in a district where he is well-respected and has helped increase student achievement, particularly among African-American and Hispanic students.
So why would he choose to move himself and his family, including two school-age children, across the country to Reno where he is the incoming superintendent in the Washoe County School District?
“This opportunity just felt right since it presented itself to me,” Morrison said earlier this month after a visit to Bud Beasley Elementary School in Sparks.
Morrison becomes superintendent Saturday, when Paul Dugan retires. Since moving to the area July 7, Morrison has visited schools and met administrators, principals, teachers, students and business and community leaders.
“It’s been outstanding, and I’ve enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with folks,” he said. Morrison will be working in a district with more than 63,300 students and a an operating budget of about $453 million. Montgomery County’s school system is the 16th largest in the United States, with about 139,000 students and a 2009 operating budget of $2.07 billion.
Morrison was directly responsible for about 23,000 students in Montgomery County. He and his colleagues there believe he is ready for Washoe County’s larger student population.
At his July 17 visit to Bud Beasley Elementary, on a year-round multitrack system, Morrison asked Principal Susan Kehoe and teachers, “What do you need from me?” and asked students about their interests and what they had learned.
He said there are four areas, “the four As,” on which he wants to focus: alignment among schools, accountability, accessibility and student achievement. “In the short term, we’ve got to get results,” he said. “We can’t just look at the economy and say we have less resources; we have to look at areas where we can improve.”
As for school funding, 69 percent comes from local sources, 26 percent from state sources, less than 1 percent from federal sources and the remainder from opening fund balances, according to the district. Local funds from sale and property taxes provide 36 percent of the total resources.
In budget negotiations concerning school employees, state lawmakers decided to reduce state salary funding by $193 million, leaving it up to school districts to determine what to cut. Washoe school officials approved $21.8 million in cuts for 2009-10, officials said, leaving a general operating budget of about $453.5 million. The $21.8 million in cuts included $9.8 million from the district’s “rainy-day fund.” The cuts did not affect teacher salaries, officials said.
Reaching out to community leaders is more important now than ever, Morrison said. “We have to realize the school district is part of a broader community and that we make sure we advocate for the students,” he said.
Morrison said Dugan has made him feel welcome. “He’s been a great gentleman and a great leader,” Morrison said. “I respect the work he’s done here in Washoe County.” Dugan said the biggest challenge his successor faces is to improve the graduation rate.
“The Blueprint on Student Success the board adopted last December focuses on that,” Dugan said. “It’s a K-12 issue, so that, without a doubt, is the biggest challenge that we have. It’s not just Reno or Washoe County, it’s all over the nation, but clearly, Nevada is about as low as you can get, so that’s the biggest challenge.”
Respect expressed
Dugan said the school board made the right choice in Morrison. “He’s energetic, and he’s involving the right people within the district and within the community, so I think everyone is going to be very pleased with him,” he said. “There’s no question it’s bittersweet to leave, but this is my community, and I want the district to continue to improve. In order for that to happen, we need a strong leader, and I think they found one.”
Morrison’s Maryland colleagues praised his work there said they will miss him. “We are losing a hard-working and very dedicated individual,” said Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, chief of staff for the Montgomery County school board. “I’m happy for him, but I am sad as a colleague he is leaving us. But you’ll be happy with him and couldn’t have gotten a finer individual.”
Keith Rheault, superintendent of the Nevada Department of Education, also said Morrison was the right choice. “They’ve hired a good person,” Rheault said. “I think he will keep the good things going that Washoe County has started with its high standards and expectations.” During Morrison’s time in Maryland, the district had an 11 percent increase in students reaching advanced levels on state assessments.
Jerry Weast, Montgomery County schools superintendent for 33 years, said he knows a good school administrator when he sees one. “I’ve trained 25 superintendents, and Heath Morrison is one of the best,” Weast said. “He has heart and ability, skill and emotion, loves kids and is able to produce good outcomes.”
When Morrison was a community superintendent, he worked directly with Stephen Bedford, chief school performance officer. “It was a pretty intense effort for us to get (Morrison) because of his reputation,” Beford said. “He has been one of the very best administrators this system has had, and Reno has gotten the most qualified candidate for superintendent in the country.”
A family decision
Morrison appears to enjoy spending most of his time in schools, according to the former coordinator of a cluster of schools that Morrison oversaw.
“I call Montgomery County school administrators psychotic, but in a good way, because they spend a lot of hours working for the students,” said Ricky Ford, former coordinator of the John F. Kennedy schools cluster. “That dedication and his ability to listen to constituents are (Morrison’s) strong suits.”
In recent weeks, Morrison’s wife, Jennifer, has been looking for a home. The Morrisons’ children — Samantha, 11, and Zachary, 9 — will attend public school. “We wouldn’t have this move without giving it much thought,” Heath Morrison said. “(The children) were part of the decision.”
What Morrison wants for his own children’s education, he wants for all children in the district.“I want to make sure we have a school district where every student can get on a pathway to complete the 12th grade,” he said. “We owe every child a diploma that certifies they are college- and work-ready.
“That’s what I want for my kids, and that’s what every parent wants for their kids.” And Morrison said he feels good about the district’s future after initial meetings with district, school, business and community leaders. “A lot of school districts feel good,” he said. “I have found in Washoe County that everyone wants to be a great district ... and I’m excited because I know we can do it.”
RGJ reporter Lenita Powers contributed to this story.
Additional Facts
MORE DETAILS//RELATED STORY
On June 23, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a contract with incoming Superintendent Heath Morrison. Highlights from the contract:
o LENGTH: The employment contract officially begins Aug. 1 and ends on July 31, 2013, unless extended or terminated earlier.
o SALARY: The district will pay Morrison an annual salary of $238,000. By comparison, retiring Superintendent Paul Dugan’s present salary is $206,280. The board reached Morrison’s higher salary figure after the recommendation of superintendent search consultant Jim Huge that the board offer an annual salary between $225,000 and $250,000, which is about the average range for superintendents in similar-sized districts as Washoe County, Washoe district officials said.
o HEALTH INSURANCE: The board will pay the full premiums for Morrison, his wife and his dependents for the district’s health/medical insurance plan of his choice.
o DUTIES: Morrison’s duties include organizing the administrative and supervisory staff, recommending policies to the school board and attend all its meetings, evaluating employees and serving as a liaison between the board and district administration and between the board and community residents.
o VEHICLE: The district will provide a motor vehicle for Morrison.
o EVALUATION: Morrison and the board will meet quarterly during the course of the year to discuss their working relationship. By May 31 of each year of the contract, the board will evaluate Morrison’s performance.
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HEATH MORRISON
- AGE: 43
- POSITION: Incoming Superintendent for Washoe County School District
- EXPERIENCE: Community superintendent, Montgomery County (Md.) Public Schools, 2006-09; director of school performance, MCPS, 2005-06; served in different positions including principal, vice-principal and social studies teacher at two high schools and one middle school in Waldorf, Md., 1990-2005
- EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in government, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va.; Masters degree in educational administration and Ph.D. in educational administration, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.; fellow in the Broad Superintendents Academy; has certification from Maryland in Social Studies, Administrator I and II and Superintendent.
- FAMILY: Will live in Reno with his wife, Jennifer, and their children, Samantha, 11, and Zachary, 9
New superintendent needs our help
OK, we've got a new superintendent, Heath Morrison. Now what? 1) Let's see what he can do, 2) Business as usual, just a different name on the door, or 3) Watch out, he's kickin' #!@ and takin' names!
I wonder what your hopes are for the future education of the kids in Washoe County. Should the fact that we have a new superintendent change what you think and/or expect? To participate in improving the quality of the education our kids receive, here's what the board hopes will happen:
1) Ask yourself to better define what a world-class school district looks like, and more specifically -- what does a graduate who is college and/or career ready really look like? What are the specific attributes our schools, working with our parents, need to impart to each student?
2) Ask yourself to be more honest when it comes to funding education, both the operating side and the construction side (remember, state law keeps these funds separate). How good is good enough? There are too many factors to assume that there is a direct connection between funding levels and performance levels, but folks, don't ask us to perform in the top 10 if you're only willing to fund us 47 out of 50.
3) And maybe most important, let's give the guy a chance. Please don't let Morrison hear you say (and please don't say it behind his back), "But we don't do it that way here!" or "We've always done it that way" or "This isn't Maryland." Morrison is going to have lots of ideas and lots of questions. When you hear something new or different or contradictory, how about responding this way, "Hey, that's interesting, how would it work?"
Morrison and his wife, Jennifer, bring a fourth-grader and a seventh-grader to Washoe County, and they would love to have both kids graduate from WCSD. Will he be here nine years from now? No, if everything he wants to do is a struggle. Yes, if we partner with him in doing whatever it takes to be world class! Can we count on you to help?
Dan Carne is on the Washoe County School District WCSD Board of Trustees.
