DuPage schools taking own approaches to president'

[asmodeus]

I think the speech is fine. Doesn't seem to have any partisan commentary.

[title1parent]

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1759874,naperville-Mitrovich-blasts-speech-fuss-090809.article

Mitrovich blasts Obama speech controversy

September 9, 2009

By KATHY CICHON [e-mail]
Responding to the criticism generated by President Barack Obama's address to students Tuesday morning, District 203 Superintendent Mark Mitrovich challenged anyone to disagree with the points the president made.

"There was nothing in that speech you could argue with," Mitrovich said Tuesday night. "Anyone who wants to take up that debate with me, I'd be glad to have it with them at some other time."

Despite the controversy surrounding the speech, just one resident spoke about the matter at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting.

Resident David Shaftman told the board he was volunteering in one of the elementary schools at the time of the president's speech.

"I was disappointed there was no evidence of any student listening to that presentation." Shaftman said.

He said the message is one "every student should be hearing, every teacher should be listening to. Every parent, every administrator throughout the country."

While some classes in the district watched the address live, such as those at Scott Elementary, others did not. All schools, though, have access to DVDs of Obama's address, as copies were made available by 2 p.m. Tuesday, Mitrovich said.

"In this country, we believe in something called freedom of speech, whether we agree with it or we disagree with it. The fact that we allow that and do it in a guided manner is the strength of what we're all about," Mitrovich said. "The bottom line is, he is the president of the United States and deserves to be listened to, especially when he's addressing the students in this country."

Obama spoke to students about the importance of education and working toward their goals. The point the president made about not failing oneself, he said, "is critical."

"They are not political issues. They are the bread and butter issues this country was founded on," Mitrovich said. "It's a downright shame" the speech was politicized.

"He came out and said what we want kids to hear," Mitrovich said.

Several logistical issues prevented the entire district from watching the speech live, including previously scheduled activities and the fact the speech occurred during some lunch periods.

"It's amazing when we disagree with something, we have to villainize the other side … We got a fine group of administrators and teachers and a lot of them said instead of pre-empting lunch, we want each grade level to bring this into a teachable moment and prepare something relevant for their age group," board member David Weeks said. "What we want to do is have a real impact. When we don't give the teachers and administrators any credit for thinking about this thing, I think that's short-sighted."

Board President Mike Jaensch said the district would like the students to see the address in the proper circumstances. The district is also making copies available for parents to view.

"We are doing everything short of mandating a specific date," Mitrovich said.

[title1parent]

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1759890,2_1_AU09_OBAMA_S1-090909.article

Some see speech live, others later
Oswego district changes position on Obama's talk

September 9, 2009

By ERIKA WURST [e-mail]
In their Oswego family home, the Danca family sat silently Tuesday morning, eyes glued to the TV.

Through the speakers of the flat screen, President Barack Obama spoke firm and loud, addressing students about the importance of trying hard in school and overcoming obstacles in their lives.

Last week, the 15-minute speech, which was to be aired live to students across the country, raised controversy. Concerned parents -- afraid political messages would be pushed on their kids -- filled administrators' in-boxes with their grievances.

Julie and Dave Danca, upset with the Oswego School District's decision to not provide their children with a live viewing of the president's address, gave both Ross, a Traughber Junior High School sixth-grader, and Hannah, a junior at Oswego High School, the option of watching it from home.

"I wish they could have watched it in school," Julie said.

"It was about school," Hannah added. "It only makes sense that that's where we watch it."

They may get the chance.

By 1 p.m. Oswego Superintendent Dan O'Donnell sent a message to Oswego parents: Students will be shown the speech on Thursday. The message came with an apology.

"We apologize for how this situation has affected many of our families," O'Donnell said via phone blast, and on the district Web site. After listening to Obama's speech, administrators reversed their decision to not air the speech, stating that the messages will indeed benefit many.

But on Tuesday, the Dancas and other Fox Valley families convened in family rooms, watching the president speak.

"Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who have had the most failure," Obama said, pointing toward J.K. Rowling's famous Harry Potter books, rejected 12 times by publishers.

Julie Danca smirked, and looked toward Hannah, whose T-shirt bore the popular character's name.

"Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team," Obama said. "He once said, 'I have failed over and over again in life, and that's why I succeeded.' You can't let your failures define you. You have to let them teach you and show you what to do differently next time.

"Where you live, what you look like, what happens at home -- it's no excuse for not trying," the president said. "No one has written your destiny for you. You make your own future."

And that future, Obama said, won't come without effort.

"I like how (Obama) can use examples out of his own life when he's speaking," Ross said, while debriefing with his family. "He's an example that's right in front of us."

For Hannah, the reassurance that the struggles of high school are everyone's, not just her own, was an important message.

"It's good to know that everyone has problems with teachers and different subjects," Hannah said. "I'm not the only one like that. I think the speech will help kids who don't want to listen to their mom or dads by giving them someone to look up to."

And when the speech was over, all four Danca family members failed to understand the controversy.

"We'll have to play it backwards now for subliminal messages," Dave said with a chuckle.

[warriormom]

The speech was fine and to clarify ... the controversy was NOT about the "speech" but rather the lesson plan provided by the White House to accompany the speech.

Arnie Duncan stated somuch yesterday that it was a 'wrongheaded move' and that is why they changed the wording of the lesson plan.

Personally I thought the speech was just fine. Maybe a little too much use of the words, "I EXPECT....". And no lesson plan should have needed to be sent. I think it was a bit of an insult to our teachers that they wouldn't have come up with talking points on their own.

[title1parent]

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1762523,naperville-students-Obama-speech_NA091009.article

Some students inspired by Obama speech

September 10, 2009

By KATHY CICHON [e-mail]
While they didn't hear the message live, it still resonated with many who heard it.

"I always wanted to go to college and be a pediatric nurse," senior Katy Aitken said. "And now that it's getting closer to having that dream come true, I've been shying away from it."

But hearing the president speak, she said, made her think about entering the field again.

A day after President Barack Obama's much-hyped speech to the nation's students, those in Naperville North's social studies classes watched a DVD copy. Students in Jeff Bedore's seventh period modern history class watched the video and then offered a few thoughts.

"The first time it was interesting," said junior Peter LaPorte, who saw it in his modern history and U.S. history classes. "The second time it got a little boring."

Obama spoke to students about the importance of staying in school and following through on goals.

"No matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee you're going to need an education," Obama said. "You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job."

Social studies teachers were asked to play the DVD Wednesday, Bedore said. By the time seventh period arrived, Bedore had shown the video four times. Three students elected to step out of the classroom for the approximately 20-minute video, and he knew another student planned to do so eighth period.

"It's a personal choice," Bedore said. "I actually had a parent e-mail me even ahead of the opt-out option. There's no problem with that at all."

Bedore, who said he is politically conservative, said he wasn't surprised by the controversy surrounding the address. But the early release of the speech's text might have helped diffuse some of those concerns, he said.

"There's nothing in that speech I wouldn't say word for word to any of my students," he said. "If it helps that he delivers it as opposed to me or parents or a neighbor, then that's fantastic."

Sophomore John Garrison said it made him look at the importance of education, and the president's remarks "convinced me to step forward and do good in school and stuff. "Sophomore Valerie Scheirer called the president's speech "very idealistic" in both a good and bad way.

"It's impossible for everyone to be that good, but it's good 'cause you want to reach that goal," she said.

She said it is inspiring to hear how some people overcame the odds and achieved their goals.

"I just want it to be a little more realistic than idealistic," Scheirer said.

[momto4]

From the Brooks principal. What are other 204 schools doing?
==================================================

Brooks Families,

For those who had the opportunity to read about or view the contents of President Obama's speech to students on Tuesday, you are likely aware that the message delivered to schoolchildren was one of hard work, perseverance, respect for authority, and goal-setting. These ideas are reinforced in our school and in our homes on a daily basis with our children.

You can access the text of the message that the President delivered by clicking on this link:

www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-in-a-National-Address-to-Americas-Schoolchildren/

The video of the President's speech is available by clicking on this link:

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/A-Message-of-Hope-and-Responsibility-for-Americas-Students/

Brooks 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will have the opportunity to view the President's speech at some point during social studies lessons in the next week. Students will view the speech and engage in classroom discussion in order to put the message into context. The content of the speech, aside from being a sound message on the whole, also fits well into our social studies curriculum.

Kdg, 1st and 2nd grade students will not view the speech at school, but I encourage any families of younger students to view the speech at home and discuss the content with your child if desired. You can use the links above to access the video and text.

In the event that any of our families have concerns with their 3rd, 4th or 5th grade student viewing and discussing the President's message, I ask that parents communicate directly with the classroom teacher. Your child's teacher will ensure that your child has appropriate, alternate learning opportunities during the time of the viewing and discussion.

Finally, in the event that you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

Dave Younce
Principal - Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary
Indian Prairie School District #204
630.375.3200

[momto4]

When browsing through my grade-schooler's backpack over the weekend I found a worksheet that indicated the kids had watched the president's speech. The worksheet had some topics for thought and things for the kids to fill out.

I hadn't heard from my child that she had seen the speech, so I asked her about it. Mainly she thought it was too long and boring, 18 minutes she said. She said the point of it was to tell people to work hard toward their goals.

I doubt I ever listened to a president speak for 18 minutes when I was that age. When the president was speaking on TV I remember changing channels looking for something to watch, finding nothing else, and we'd turn off the TV and find something else to do.