psssst....we meet at "the BARN"...OK?

Thanks to several community residents that want to do things right, we understand that Operation BBALL has relocated its base of operations to "the barn".  If you've been in Sun Prairie for any length of time, you probably know what that means.

Of course, these are all "allegations", but where there's a ton of smoke, there's usually some flames causing said smoke.

This gives us pause to ponder...

If one continually is changing its base of operations, it's likely due to one or both of two things:
(A) to avoid paying facility rental fees, or
(B) to avoid detection/scrutiny etc.

IF what's really going on here is gaining a "leg up" on the competition via unauthorized contact with players during the offseason (and where not saying it is) then how is that any different than what, say, Ryan Braun did?

For the school district, this is probably just fine because the issue has been removed from sight.  Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Is that how we operate in Sun Prairie?  Just get things out of sight?  Sweep them under the carpet or cram them in the closet with our other skeletons?

The question we have goes back to the "it's all about the kids" mentality:  how does this really help the kids?  Is this the life lesson we wish to impart our children with?  Win at any cost?  Rules don't matter unless you get caught?  Does the WIAA subscribe to that same philosophy?  Hmmm.  We wonder.

We have an old saying:  Cheaters Never Prosper.  And it's in the scriptures!

The Facility Calendar Exposed

So this is what came out of our inquiry into the sudden opacity of the Facilities Use Calendar:

We have finally determined what happened with the ability to review contracts for the facility use calendar via the district web site.  It had nothing to do with the implementation of the new web site as we suspected.  Instead, the program managers at rSchoolToday.com made an internal decision to eliminate the option system wide.  It was their belief that the information being provided should not be accessible to the general public, that there were likely some privacy issues that needed to be respected.  So they removed the option without telling anyone and SPASD is the only district to ask about the change.  It was just coincidence that the change occurred about the same time we changed our website.

 

So ....   are we OK with a software vendor that unilaterally makes decisions for us regarding transparency?  Without even informing us?

Mybe it's time to ditch this wonderful software that Jimmy Mac found for us.

rSchoolToday.com has identified a couple of options for the contract viewing feature to be returned to our website. 

 The first is to provide custom programming for the SPASD site that allows the contract observation feature to be returned to the previous level of accessibility.  This option can be provided at an undisclosed cost per month (to be determined if we want to explore the option more).  My concern here is that we then incur additional expense for the facility use program, an expense that is continuous into the future.

 

So ....   we get it...Option 1 is to get back the original functionality we purchased for an additional--an undisclosed--monthly charge.

So if we understand this correctly, rSchoolToday kidnapped our transparency, and is ransoming its return for a monthly price.

The second option is to set up a process that allows people wanting to see the contracts to access the facility use program as a limited administrator - they can only view the contracts as they did before via the facility use calendar.  The process is a bit tedious to the user in that they would need to first use the district web site to access the calendar, then modify the url address to go to the rSchoolToday.com (or those regularly reviewing the contracts could go directly to the website and by-pass the district web site) and then use the calendar found there to review the contracts as they have in the past.  There would be a one-time effort to set the "public access administrator access".

...or anyone wishing to view the details could be logged in as a limited Administrator.

Hmmmm...might work, but does the district want to give SP-EYE (amng others) "limited" Admin privileges?  We think not.

 

The third option not provided by rSchoolToday.com is to leave the current access is as it is and require anyone wishing to review contracts to submit an open-records request.  While there would be no up-front effort with this option, there would be a continuing effort to respond to each request for information.

OK...so after complaining about all the open records request it has to deal with NOW, the district wants to add more?   And...newsflash...until Policy KG is fixed, we can guarantee that you'll see a ton of these requests!

I have copied the School Board on this e-mail for their edification.  At this time the system will stay as is unless I hear from the School Board that they want me to pursue another option.

How about a 4th option?   How's about our Technology Manager get on the horn with rSchoolToday and ask, "WTF?"   How about we "school" rSchoolToday about customer service?   How about we cancel the contract if they aren't willing to restore what we paid for?  Along with the many problems identified post-construction, we seem to be the cowardly lion school district that doesn't push for quality service to go along with all the money we've paid.   We doubt Dr. Culver et al would be so forgiving if they experienced the same problems with work on the private residences.

This Has Proceeded Far Beyond Ridiculousness

OK....this has just gone on for too frickin' long!
With all our technology expertise...can't SOMEONE return transparency to the facilities calendar?

There is clearly a javascript error.  SOMEone has modified the code or
unchecked the "Let's be transparent" box.  This does not belong on our Communication Manager's radar screen.  It's either a specific HTML/Javascript coding problem, or someone just flicked the switch to turn out the lights.

I sent an e-mail to Sarah Heck, the manager for the web-site change along with Mike Mades, and she indicated that she was aware of the issue and would be working to resolve the issue when she gets back from vacation next week. The issue was not addressed in the effort to get the web site up and running. I will keep you posted if I hear anything...
---Joe Powelka, Buildings & Grounds

Does the district's worker's compensation insurance cover constantly tripping over one's self?

FIX THIS!!!!!

You Sunk My Battleship!!!!

Have we perhaps developed a game of battleship when it comes to athletic fields and facility use?  Reports coming in make us wonder.   There's a lot of activity going on and we're even hearing rumors of brash attempts to thwart detection.

On July 8th, District administration was alerted to facilities reservations at the high school field house under the name "Open Gym" from 6:45 am to 8:00 am on June 26, 27 and July 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25, 29.  All reservations were made under the name Nate Grundahl...who happens to be the asst. varsity basketball coach.  Community observers report that the only folks present at these "sessions" are members of the high school basketball program.  Reports also indicate that Coach Boos is present.  Perhaps this was all according to Hoyle, but one has to ask the question....is this a violation of WIAA rules for coach/player contact.  There are rules for how many days of contact (5) [with coaches] can occur during the summer.

By mid-week, we heard several reports that Operation Open Gym had become compromised and the location had been clandestinely moved to the Patrick Marsh gym.   Hmmmm.  Switching things up like that begs the question.....a lot of questions, actually.

While we remain hopeful that everything is being done in strict accordance with WIAA rules.....we wouldn't want to incur district-wide WIAA sanctions, would we?......some investigation i in order.  A complete and transparent accounting of these activities MUST be initiated.

One concern is that there are WIAA rules governing "Open Gyms".  One of the requirements is that these be announced publicly so ANY student can use the gym .  The only place this "Open Gym" was noticed was as a listing on the Facility Use calendar.  And that wouldn't have happened unless the District Buildings & Grounds Manager stepped in and forced the issue.   The only kids that seem to be partaking of the Open Gym opportunity are the basketball team, the reservation was made by asst varsity coach Nate Grundahl, and there have been multiple Boos sightings at both the Fieldhouse in June and at Patrick Mrsh this past week.

All those things make for a particular odor, and the odor is not a good one.
Here's what the WIAA has to say about Open Gyms:

You have several rules which affect this situation. First the open gym rule. Open gyms are school sponsored recreation for students. They cannot be organized practices by the coach or any other person. Open gyms are "pick up" situations. Coaches and schools cannot be involved in out-of-season practice for athletes. However, open gyms do not violate WIAA rules if they are conducted according to the following guidelines: 

1) The open gym is made known and available to all students in the designated population of that school that are interested in attending. Open gyms may be gender specific. It is also acceptable to include people from the community. Schools may conduct "open gyms" in any activity. It is not acceptable to include athletes from another school, public or nonpublic. 

2) There is no instruction during the open gym by a coach or anyone else. 

3) Coaches may supervise open gyms, but they may not instruct, organize drills, etc. Coaches can also recreate with students in school sponsored, open gym settings that are purely recreational in nature, i.e., there is no instruction, sport skill demonstration, organized drills or resemblance of a practice being conducted. 

4) There is no organized competition, such as established teams participating in round-robin competition, etc.

"Open Gym" is not a code word for out-of-season practice. The philosophy of the open gym is students from that school may attend, for wholesome recreation, or for pur- poses of improving their skills, but it's something they do on their own. It would be a violation of WIAA rules to mandate attendance at open gyms, or to provide incentives for athletes to attend open gyms, or to limit participation based on athletic status, or to allow athletes from other schools to come and work out or compete against the host school's athletes. (BL – Art. II and RE – Art. VI, Sect. 2) During the school year, no activity in which they are engaged during the school year should resemble in any way a school team practicing or competing out-of-season. (Handbook, p. 39, Art VI, Sect 2, Par A). With this rule, "Captains Practices" may not be held during the school year. Participants must be diversified and coaches/schools may not be involved. 

They are allowed during the summertime where limitations on athletes assembly are removed. If the players are organizing in a practice situation, then this rule comes into play. The question to be asked: Is the situation you describe an Open Gym or a spring practice designed to appear as an open gym? In a true open gym, the kids grab a ball and recreate. If they are running plays, then I would say they are practicing.

Someone (ahem...Tim Culver) needs to be investigating this.  If it is true, then we need to issue a cease and desist order, take immediate and appropriate corrective measures,  and turn ourselves in to WIAA.

Ground control to major Tim, 
your circuit's dead, there's something wrong.
Can you hear me, major Tim?

What lesson are we teaching our kids in this whole approach to rules?  Is it OK to break rules as long as we don't get caught?

One Step Forward...TWO Steps Back

OK...so we're doing better with the district's Facilities Use calendar...

But..... now the transparency has been removed. One USED to be able to click on any reservation and view the "permit" information including who the "client" is, any charges which will be assessed and whether or not the user's insurance is up-to-date.

Geee....and coincidentally when things are starting to heat up regarding "Policy KG" (Use of District Fields/Facilities).

Now that Jimmy Mac is gone....who will we blame for this "unintended error"?

Shame, Shame, SHAME!

State Aid picture remains rosy for Sun Prairie

Watch out because groups will soon be rushing out of the woodwork.


The Department of Public Instruction (DPI)'s July 1 estimate of state aid for the 2013-14 school year shows Sun Prairie getting 10.98% MORE aid than last year.

The most current budget estimates projected we'd receive a 10% increase over last year.

The net effect is that the district is receiving $3.8M more than last year, and $382K more than projected.

Let the spending begin!

Wait...this s only an estimate.  Maybe we shouldn't get too crazy just yet.  Maybe we should wait until the final numbers are in?

Nevertheless... it sure looks like great news.
Our only question is how sustainable is it?  And what happens when the increases stop?

Only 21 districts had a higher percentage increase.

Only 3 districts received a higher dollar increase: Racine, Green Bay, and West Allis.

229 districts will see a reduction in aid.

193 districts will see an increase.

Our friends in Middleton will see about a $570K DECREASE.

New district website takes a giant leap forward

Long ago we had given up on the district website.
Too many fish to fry; not enough fry pans for the lot.

But it was awful.  No...actually it was something that aspired to one day be awful.  It was amateur (and that's being kind).  The frames overlapped and you couldn't read text.

But after a rather major effort (we cringe at the ultimate cost...)....the new website (which we'll dub as version 2.0) is complete and is a HUGE improvement.  The quality is now on par with our similar-size district peers.


Yes....things are in different places, and you'll have to re-discover them.  It doesn't appear that "re-direct" have been created.

Version 2.1 needs to include more "accessibility" features.  A larger font size would be better.  It's still a work n progress as pages get populated.

But, you WILL like the look and quality.  Try it.
http://www.sunprairie.k12.wi.us/

If you have any trouble locating things you can contact the district at this link:
http://www.sunprairie.k12.wi.us/district/do_contact_us.cfm