Scot Graden – Superintendent of Saline Area Schools
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 30th, 2009
A Saline High School faculty member recently sent me the text from President Obama’s recent announcement about his “Educate to Innovate” campaign. The effort is aimed at moving America to the top of the pack globally in the area of science and math achievement over the next decade. In the speech he made a couple [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 29th, 2009
This week I thought a fair amount about what I am thankful for this year. One of the things that came to mind was the quality community partners we are fortunate to have here in the Washtenaw County area, and in particular Ele’s Place. Ele’s Place is a nonprofit, community-based organization with a mission to [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 25th, 2009
Working together never seems to be as easy as it sounds. Yet, we know it is a vital skill for our students to possess. Group work can often lead to unequal workloads, little accountability and tense students. However, as most of us have experienced in our lives – under the right circumstances groups can achieve [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 23rd, 2009
We need a strategy. I have said it and others have said it to me as well. Historian Edward Mead Earle describes strategy as “the art of controlling and utilizing the resources of a nation to the end that its vital interests shall be effectively promoted and secured.” Clearly, we need a strategy – both [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 19th, 2009
It has been said that leaders do not get to choose his or her time to lead, it is chosen for them. This statement has never felt truer than now. As most of you know, I care deeply about Saline Area Schools. I often refer to my father graduating from Saline High School, my own [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 16th, 2009
I have been a vocal advocate for Project Based Learning as a important component of a successful academic institution like Saline Area Schools. We are very fortunate to have many staff that have embraced this method of instruction. We are also privileged to be the main host site for the SWWC and the numerous hands-on [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 16th, 2009
Interesting article today in the New York Times regarding the selling of lesson plans. Here is an excerpt: Joseph McDonald, a professor at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University, said the online selling cheapens what teachers do and undermines efforts to build sites where educators freely exchange ideas [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 12th, 2009
Click here to download the presentation. I’m writing to invite you to a financial “Community Conversation” in the Liberty School Auditorium from 6:30-8:30 p.m. this Monday, November 16th. The event will be the first of what I hope will be many frank discussions about current and projected Saline Schools’ budget shortfalls. As a primer for [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 4th, 2009
Based on the recent reductions in Saline Area Schools per pupil funding that opened a $1,600,000 hole in our budget – I feel I will need to communicate effectively with staff (and community) about the steps we are going to need to take to remedy the budget and provide a stable financial future for Saline [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 2nd, 2009
I have heard that for some – my district wide voice mail that was sent tonight at 7:15pm didn’t go through. Here is what I said… Hello, this is Scot Graden, from Saline Area Schools. I am calling to remind all Saline Area Schools families that tomorrow, November 3rd is the date to vote on [...]