Education must come before sports at Fieldcrest

I agree with everything Mrs. McCulley has written. This is not MDR. The traditions with MDR are fond memories. This is now Fieldcrest. Please stop dwelling on the past. And maybe the effort should be spent on education instead of sports.

Fortunately, most teachers do not have time to read this junk. They are using their time, energy, resources, and their own money trying to make education meaningful and engaging for the children of all--even the ungrateful. Ms. Stremlau has been a fantastic asset to our school. The plays have been phenomenal for a school of this size, and, considering the lack of support of music in our community, the musicals have been amazing! Students certainly seem to respect her.

I've been going over the comments of the editorial and I completely agree that it is time for this community as well as Wenona and Toluca to dissolve school sports. Look at what the "consolidation" has done to the communities involved. The history of the towns involved is just that, history. I live in Minonk, I have been to sporting events in Wenona and Minonk, and I have kids (almost school age). With the current sport issues, I am glad they are not in school sports and I will think long and hard about issues in the future before allowing them to participate.

To Transplant, You are a taxpaper and I respect your opinion. But, I have lived here a very long time and you have no idea what the history of this town is and what has been going on before and since the consolidation. We were all lied to in many ways. You do NOT know what you are talking about. So, be quiet!

I was always taught to practice what you preach, or your real name is "To all trash talking"

How about posting your name, and let people defend accusations. Its easy to hide behind anominity and point fingers. Some might even say cowardley and childish.

i have dealt with the school system for years . First as a parent and now as a grandparent trying to help out the grandkids. The scool and msot of the teachers dont care about the children and their education. Now I need to stress the fact that I said most teachers. I have agarndchild who has some difficulty with learning and has not gotten anything from the school for help unless we have pursued and pursued with the administration and with past superintendents help(who cared about the future of the students), we have been hopefully successful in getting this child some help but with no help from the present administration. I think the present school board is of no help, as well, they seem to be all yes people and ignore pleas for help from parents.I hate to see all the biggering that is going on between communities because the children dont see a problem . Look thru the eyes of your shildren parents and dont thru your selfish and self full filling eyes and egoes.

Dave- I agree- sports aren't everything-what about art and music and God- the only one who's going to get us anywhere? How many people show up to a meeting about the arts as compared to a meeting about sports? Just my opinion....

As far as the volleyball coach getting fired. Does no one remember Senior Night 2005 when the Fieldcrest girls lost the matches and Stremlau would not allow the senior girls to do their senior skit with the senior football boys? I do and I also remember Mrs. Stremlau doing her little bit of foolishness of her noise making. Well Mrs. Stremlau, it was those senior girls night to shine win or lose, not yours. If it had been up to me and many others you would have been relieved of your duties that night. I could go on and on about things she did as a coach that was so unprofessional. I want to thank the parents that finally stood up against her to get her removed. Now enough about that coach and lets be happy that we have Coach Hughs, she is a assest to Fieldcrest.

Maybe some of you should spend a little more time focusing on your writing skills (or lack there of) instead of bashing teachers. WOW!!

Measuring how many student attend college from a school tells you nothing about the school. Not every student attends college. There is plenty of other jobs out there that does not need a college education. There are plumbers, HVAC, electrians, Armed sevices, mechanics, factory workers, I could go on all day. All of these are well paying jobs that do not need a college degree. Maybe the schools need to start training for these again and stop worring how many kids attend college.

People when will all of this stop. I understand people are upset with the school board moving the baseball games back to Wenona. People are also upset the children are not getting the education they deserve. Now people are complaing about who the coaches play and from what town the kids are from. Do you think really from what town these kids are from matters? Thats a whole other issue and I won't get into that. Come on. Everytime a new editorial is written we all find something to grab hold in the editorial on and the words start flying. Our address is not somewhere over the rainbow and no town is perfect. Be thankful you have a place to live, and your family is healthy. No city or small town is perfect. You decided to live here.

Another criterion of how well the high school is preparing students is how many/ what percentage/ of the HS grads go on to college. Do you have any numbers on that? And how many do actually graduate from college/ university?

Ya the vb coach wasn't fired for yelling at the girls, she was fired because she didn't play the right girls. Someone's kid didn't get to play and they raised a stink about it.

one thing for certain.....the previous way of education by the schools was NOT working, thats why the goverment stepped in and started the NCLB! the teachers, and school administration have no one to blame but themselfs for the NCLB enactment. everyone needs to just do their J.O.B. and educate the kids! look at this schools ACT scores, there is no excuse for that poor of a performance at a school of this size with money! somebody is not doing their J.O.B.?

GROW UP! All the minonk people want everything in mononk that way the coachs play all your kids. Feed the coaches some more snacks. Bake them some cookies so your kids can play. Remember when they were in 7th and 8th grade WHO took them to state. Not the coach we have, he is a man that has never done that and never see that happening. Keep up the good work. Get more wins in the season forget the state title.

As a special education major, I must add to what Truth writes. NCLB had great intentions, however, what is sad is that the standardized tests do not accurately measure learning. The govt believes that all students in a grade should have the same abilities, and as such should read at the same level and be able to compute math problems with the same speed and score within the range they have set...but they forget that each person is unique and that each individual has different abilities and disabilities. What is frustrating to teachers is the fact that a student who is reading below their grade level will still have to test at their grade level, regardless of what their academic ability is. It's like asking a 5 year old to do high school algebra! The student is frustrated and feels like a failure, and the teacher is penalized. If students were assessed at their level, then a true measure of learning would be achieved!

I actually had a South teacher tell me that she doesn't get paid enough to "deal with" my struggling student!!!!!!!!!!

To delve any deeper in to NCLB would require more explanation than this comment section will allow. In fact I personally did a research paper on NCLB recently and barely skimmed it. One fact that needs to be clarified is that NCLB as written DOES require that EVERY (and I mean EVERY) child pass the same state standardized test. That is what makes NCLB unattainable in it's current format. Teachers literally have to teach to the state tests or schools will be "punished" for failure.

I think a lot of people are confused by the "No Child Left behind" and what it actually means. Does that mean that in reality no child is ever going to miss out on individualized attention? Absolutely not! In fact, the stricter rules that are in place regarding standardized testing now mean that more and more teachers spend their day teaching to "the test" instead of to "the student". Sad, but true, that this has to be done so the government can tell us that "No child is left behind". To We Need Balance....I'm not sure I've ever heard a teacher complain that their job is too "hard", a teacher's job is hard enough with teaching to each child I don't think the NCLB act is making it harder, maybe just more frustrating that so many kids don't meet "standards" that are made by government not teachers.

Along with grammar and spelling, you should get the facts too. The volleyball coach was not "fired" for yelling at kids (girls).....

I think sports are an important part of our schools and teach kids about teamwork. I believe the No Child Left Behind concept was a good one, but I am tired of hearing teachers complain about how hard it makes their job. Everyone's job has gotten harder in recent years, with cut backs and increases in productivity. It may not be what you mean, but positive comments get positive results. I don't believe that the goal here is to help each and every child. There is little individualized attention. The report card has had good numbers comparing us to our neighboring schools for a few years now. Chicago math program has to go. Anything with the name Chicago should raise so many flags! Our teachers and administrators are paid at about 8 to 10% higher rates than our neighboring schools of similar size and situation. They should be held to higher expectations.

I think you need to go back to school and re-take spelling and grammar.

All you should look at the basketball program. You all had a volleyball coach get fired for yelling at kids (girls). We have a even bigger problem with the coach on the high school. Parents sit up in the stands and say things about this man and yet are so nice to him in person. You all should say something about that no kid deserves that kind of treatment. This man belittles our kids in front of there team mates and there own parents at games. This is a bigger problem then anything I read in this talk page. The kids do not deserve this. Remember there are kids driving all over this district to get to the high school not just the minonk kids. What would you all thing about the kids driving to a country school all the time (mid land) come on grow up take a real look at our kids? Teachers and coaches do not have the right to yell or talk to kids the way some of them do open your eyes kids have feelings too!!!!

I think it is time for some new blood as far as the School Board is concerned. Let's hope we can elect some who think more of the students and their needs instead of going back on their word about Sports and where they should be played. I agree with Dave that the taxes in Minonk are out of control. And thanks to the School Board money was spent on fixing the baseball field in Minonk and for what reason? So they can play in Wenona and keep somebody happy. I feel there is alot of rivalry about sports and where they should be played not by the students but by the parents. I think everyone needs to unite as a community in whole for the students, but that will never happen. There will always be drama in this school district. Wished I'd never voted for the consolidation. Sounded good at the time. Not now, and I sure didn't vote for the referendum. Another joke! Thanks School Board for making everyone's lives happy.

I have been saying this very same thing for years. Is sports going to pay your bills in the future? Some may be blessed with that opportunity. Isn't an education beneficial to all? Why do certain people put sports before a good education? I think more money for education and less for sports may eventually change the world because not everyone is talented enough to be a star in sports. But everyone can learn something from a classroom. I agree with all of your points, Dave. Now how do we get people to listen?

No matter what kids are going to be driving to something whether it is Toluca, Wenona, or Minonk kids. Get over it. It has to happen whether for sports, scholactic bowl, musicals or even just to school.

I did not write the report the state does and shows the district graduation rate at 79.4 and the state ave of 85.9. My point w/ the classes is not only are we behind in this area, we are behind in college level classes. As someone who has sent a student to college in the last two years.

I see in the Pantagraph today there was another accident between a school bus and car. Good decision on moving baseball to Wenona put 15 cars on the road everyday by under 18 drivers that are not needed.

You make no sence, what does college level classes have to do with kids dropping out of school. Kids that drop out of school do not go to college. Also 30% not graduating? I would check your numbers or source that is 30 students in every class not graduating, a school our size the state would be investigating this. 30% us around 120 kids every 4 years not graduating that is an entire class for fieldcrest high school.

our drop out rate is higher than most w/ only around 70% graduating. I guess that is what happens when you hire a Spanish teacher who teaches French and can not teach college level Spanish, and the only college level class that can be taken is weightlifting!?

We really need to get control of the Fieldcrest School board (perhaps next election). Otherwise they will be come like the Peoria - Pekin School board. Very recently, one of the School boards voted to CHANGE A STUDENTS GRADE from a C to a B. This was because the parents did not like precious getting a C, and complained to the Teacher (who said no), then complained to the principal (who said no), then they eventually ended up at the school board who voted to change it. That is way to much power for a school board to have.

UPDATED 5:30 p.m. CLINTON – A traffic accident involving a schoolbus from Decatur led to the intersection of U.S. 51 and Illinois 10 being temporarily closed late Monday afternoon with motorists detoured to Illinois 54 east.

Everyone forgets that the kids LIKE going to a school with all the other towns. While the parents have a rivalry, on the whole the kids do not. So, if we do as suggested and have the students play on community teams....that would in turn make kids opponents and then go to school the next day and be expected to work together and get along so they can "focus" on their education. In an ideal world sure....but not in a real one.

.....checking back, the scores were even much worst a few years ago! the jr/sr ACT test used by colleges for enrollment, is the leading indicator of the COMPLETE educational experience of a school district, and for fieldcrest the test results are not good. and frankly, this is what the fieldcrest board of education, administrators and teachers as well as the residents of the district should be discussing at their meetings instead of where to play baseball!

what should be of concern to everyone in this article is not the mistake concerning who won a grade school blue ribbon, but, the sad reality of the poor performance of our high school and in effect, the report card of the whole district! hard to believe that a RURAL school the size of fieldcrest has a lower ACT score than the majority of the high schools in IL?? and if you look closer you will be even more disappointed! large schools (normal and bloomington) score better than fieldcrest high school, and not by a small margin so much for the small school advantage!....continued

I feel your pain. I too have a child that I feel is being left behind by the No Child Left Behind Act. The Act's intentions are honorable, but unfortunately the Act (for now) allows for a small percentage to literally "fall through the cracks." That is how the school may receive a Blue Ribbon, but your child is not receiving the education he or she deserves. If it helps, it may be the teachers' want to help, but there are other things in their way. Sad but true.

I apologize for mistakenly listing Fieldcrest East for Fieldcrest South as a blue ribbon school. As for checking my facts, I was at the school video taping the award. It was a typo. I know the facts. Why don't we just call it Minonk Elementary, Wenona Elementary, etc. to remove all of the confusion. Minonk is actually east of Wenona.

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