School Board Recognition Month

Radio Commentary

January is California School Board Recognition Month.

The state board of education, in extending its wholehearted appreciation to the dedicated individuals who serve on local school boards, cited several aspects of their service.

It acknowledged that an excellent public education system is vital to the quality of life for all California communities.

It pointed out that school board members are locally elected to provide educational leadership and respond to the needs of their communities based on local conditions.

The board cited the fact that school boards are the voice of their communities, serving the interests of students and preparing them for the future. 

It acknowledged that school board members must deal with complex educational and social issues and that they are dedicated to upholding public education policies and principles. 

It also proclaimed that school board members deserve recognition and thanks for their countless hours of service to the students of California’s public schools.

The California public school system is the largest and most diverse in the nation, serving more than 6.2 million students. 

For this reason, the state board joined the entire educational community in encouraging all Californians to thank school board members for all they do for our children and their education.

I invite our community to do the same.

Wipe slate clean

Radio Commentary

Here's a great tip for parents who want to help their children do better as school resumes after the holidays: Begin the new year with a clean slate.

Simply erase anything bad that has happened up to this point.

If your children have faced challenges with studying or doing schoolwork, and if that has been a source of conflict, take time out to offer a “peace treaty,” or give them amnesty.

Have both parties agree to allow those memories to fade away into the past and start fresh.

It might be helpful to meet with your child's teacher and ask him or her to do the same thing.

Coming at a challenge from a different perspective, or without a lot of baggage, can lead to better performance and increased motivation.

Children, like adults, must learn to let go of negative thoughts or experiences and start over with new enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.

There is a feeling of renewal that comes from letting go of previous difficulties, and making peace with the challenges that have to be faced. 

It helps create an attitude that makes real progress possible in the future.

Vision 2017

Radio Commentary

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to take stock, and share our visions for the year that is about to take shape.

This is a good time to restate my personal vision for children in Santa Barbara County. We don’t know what 2017 will hold for them, but I’m sure most members of our community share this vision for all our young people.

We envision children growing up in good health, with a zest for learning and living.

We see them with a spark inside that makes them want to share their talents with those less fortunate, and work for the good of the order, just because it's the right thing to do.

We see children who are free of fear, free of abuse, free of drugs, free of prejudice.

We see children who are free to reach beyond their circumstances, whatever those might be, and to join a society that welcomes their contributions on the job, in the community, and in the voting booth.

And we see a community willing to work together to bring all our children closer to that dream.

If we all work together, and resist pointing the fingers of blame, we can form a circle of responsibility around our children.

We can make sure that our efforts are focused on improving the conditions of children in our community, and work together with that goal always in mind.

Happy New Year to young and old alike.

Thanks to business

Radio Commentary

With a new year beginning, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks on behalf of all our public schools for all the support received throughout 2016.

First, I’d like to thank the community members who support their local classrooms in so many ways.

Parents volunteer in classrooms. PTA members play invaluable roles at every school. Relatives and friends support local fundraisers, and neighbors pitch in at every turn.

I’d also like to thank our local business community, whose support of our schools continues to be strong and invaluable.

Businesses and local foundations have contributed generously to the Computers for Families program to ensure that we can address the digital divide for years into the future.

Members of local businesses also help serve as mentors, making themselves available for “job shadow” programs of all sorts. And the Partners in Education alliance, recipient of the California School Boards Association’s prestigious Golden Bell Award, is recognized as being one of the strongest school-business partnership programs in the nation.

Those of us who work in public education feel that what we do is so very important to the future of our community.

But we couldn't maintain the quality of all our programs without the full support of the community we serve.

So please accept my sincere gratitude for helping in ways both large and small to make this community a better place for young people and families. That support is evident at every turn, and it is deeply appreciated.

Parent resolutions

Radio Commentary

A new year is the traditional time for making resolutions. 

Family Circle Magazine once printed resolutions for parents, and I’m going to repeat them because they help focus our efforts as the new year begins:

I will always love my children for who they are — not who I want them to be. 

I will give my child space to grow, to dream, to succeed, and even to fail. Without that space, no growth can occur.

I will create a loving home environment, regardless of what effort it takes at a given time.

When discipline is necessary, I will let my child know that I disapprove of what he does, not who he is. 

I will set limits and help my children find security in the knowledge of what is expected of them. They will not have to guess what is right or wrong.

I will make time for all my children and cherish our moments together. I will not burden my children with emotions and problems they are not equipped to deal with.

I will encourage my children to experience the world and all its possibilities, taking pains to leave them careful but not fearful.

I will try to be the kind of person I want my children to be: loving, fair-minded, giving, and hopeful.

These are good resolutions for all of us.

Post holiday stress

Radio Commentary

Few times of the year match the winter holidays for the sheer joy and excitement felt by young people. 

Children tend to get excited by the presents, special food, and even the change of schedule from the everyday routine.

Then it’s all over. The post-holiday letdown can sometimes escalate into post-holiday stress among young and old alike. 

If this seems to be the case with your own children, encourage them to talk about their feelings. Give them a chance to draw or write about what might be troubling them.

Reassure them that these feelings are normal for everyone. 

You should not be surprised if children exhibit some regressive or aggressive behavior. Try not to get alarmed or overly critical if it does appear.

Remember that this type of behavior is a normal reaction following periods of great excitement. 

With your love and support, your children will do just fine.

In fact, it is often a very important lesson to learn that life has peaks and valleys in terms of excitement and happiness. Things can’t always be perfect or thrilling.

It’s both the ups and the downs that lend texture to life, and ultimately lead to wisdom. It’s a hard lesson for children to learn, but an important one.

A vision for the New Year

By Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools

A new year is the traditional time for making resolutions.

Family Circle Magazine once printed resolutions for parents, and I’m going to repeat them because they help focus our efforts as the new year begins:

I will always love my children for who they are — not who I want them to be.

I will give my child space to grow, to dream, to succeed, and even to fail. Without that space, no growth can occur.

I will create a loving home environment, regardless of what effort it takes at a given time.

When discipline is necessary, I will let my child know that I disapprove of what he does, not who he is.

I will set limits and help my children find security in the knowledge of what is expected of them. They will not have to guess what is right or wrong.

I will make time for all my children and cherish our moments together. I will not burden my children with emotions and problems they are not equipped to deal with.

I will encourage my children to experience the world and all its possibilities, taking pains to leave them careful but not fearful.

I will try to be the kind of person I want my children to be: loving, fair-minded, giving, and hopeful. These are good resolutions for all of us.

The new year is also a good time to take stock and share our vision for children in Santa Barbara County for the year that is about to take shape. It is a vision I’m sure most members of our community share.

We envision children growing up in good health, with a zest for learning and living.

We see them with a spark inside that makes them want to share their talents with those less fortunate, and work for the good of the order, just because it's the right thing to do.

We see children who are free of fear, free of abuse, free of drugs, free of prejudice.

We see children who are free to reach beyond their circumstances, whatever those might be, and to join a society that welcomes their contributions on the job, in the community, and in the voting booth.

And we see a community willing to work together to bring all our children closer to that dream.

My sincere gratitude to all, for helping in ways both large and small to make this community a better place for young people and families. That support is evident at every turn, and it is deeply appreciated.

Happy holidays to young and old alike.

The value of an arts education

By Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools

We all know that when school budgets get tight, art and music education are early casualties. Traditionally, schools and classrooms are rated according to how students perform on standardized tests. You can scan those tests until you grow very weary, but you will never see mention of a treble clef or a two-point perspective.

Fortunately, our school and community leaders understand that the arts are essential elements of a complete education, and they often provide the very skills and motivation required for school success. The Children’s Creative Project (CCP) plays such a vital role in arts education in our community. The CCP is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of the County Education Office that partners with local school districts to bring high quality visual and performing arts instruction to our schoolchildren.

Earlier this school year — thanks to the fundraising of the annual I Madonnari festival and dynamic partnership of the CCP and UCSB’s Arts and Lecture series — Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning trumpeter, composer, and music educator Wynton Marsalis reminded over 1,400 Santa Barbara County schoolchildren at the Granada Theater of the joy, wonder, and power of the arts. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis delighted students with the music and stories of jazz legend Duke Ellington.

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s concerts are designed to spark curiosity and imagination through vivid conversation and lively performances that inspire audiences to dance in their seats. Through interactive performances and lessons, Marsalis led the young audience gathered at the Granada on Duke’s journey from Washington, D.C. to New York City, while familiarizing students with jazz terms like riffs, breaks, and “shout chorus” in Ellington standards “Harlem Airshaft,” “Sea Jam Blues,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” and other hits.

As Marsalis and his band demonstrated, the arts represent a form of thinking that is both sensory and intellectual, one that is based on human imagination and judgment. The arts are a form of expression and communication that is essential to the human experience, and truly deserve a regular place in our classrooms.

What’s more, the arts provide unique ways of reaching students who may not access knowledge as readily through language and mathematics alone. One of the students tentatively asked a band member during the question and answer session following the performance, “Have you ever made a mistake?” The band member smiled at the innocence of the question before replying, “Absolutely. There’s so much you learn from mistakes. Maybe more than your successes. You become a better listener, a better band mate, and you recommit to improving. Mistakes can lead to opportunities, if you allow yourself to learn from them.”

Many young people find great joy in artistic expression. For some, it is an outlet and a source of inspiration. It helps them keep connected to their teachers and their schools. The benefits of arts education can translate into real advantages, including closing the achievement gaps between groups of students, keeping young people in school who otherwise might drop out, and preparing students for the demands of college and an ever-changing workforce.

Arts education is an essential and integral part of basic education for all students, K-12, providing balanced learning and developing the full potential of their minds. Without the arts, we will have drained from our schools the humanity, the creativity, the discipline, and the joy that arts can provide to all our children.

The words of Plato capture the spirit of Wynton Marsalis’ work with our children: “Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”