An
Inside view
 into Virginia 
Public Schools



Mrs. Mauston's famous reading goal chart.

I wandered into Lynn Mauston's third grade classroom where the kids were picking out their books to read. "Go to the table when I tell you to and pick out your book," said Mrs. Mauston. A row of students eagerly jumped up from their chairs and headed to the back table, where at least a hundred books were neatly arranged. One girl picked up a book on King Tut. "I want to read this one," she said to me while turning sideways and freezing her arms into the pose made famous by the 1980's Bangles song, "Walk Like an Egyptian." Another boy showed me his reading list on the iPad and told me his favorite book was "Blackbeard the Pirate." I asked him if Blackbeard was still alive. He told me, "Gosh, I hope not!"

Mr. Krage's class rehearsing "Sing Noel"

As luck would have it, I found myself in Mr. Krage's choir where around 70 seventh graders were practicing, "Sing Noel." I must have been drawn to the room by instinct because the fact that my first name is "Noel" and the kids were singing a song with my name in the title could not have been sheer coincidence. At the end of the period, Mr. Krage instructed the kids to close their eyes and, one individual after another, count as high as they could, without having two people shout out a number at the same time. [Editorial comment: This is very difficult for a group to accomplish.] "Think about rhythm," he hinted to the crowd. After several attempts where the furthest they got was the number one or two, Mr Krage told them, "The highest any class has gotten so far is to ten."  [Note: Saying things like this to seventh graders only makes them want to try harder.] After several more attempts, the furthest the class got to was the number nine. When several kids shouted out nine together, the class knew the game was up and a large groan rose from the crowd. "Don't worry," said Mr. Krage, "we'll try this again next Friday." 

The beginning of the cleaning project.
I was visiting Parkview and, after visiting the lunchroom, I headed into Ms. Wentz's second grade classroom. I arrived just after the class finished story time. The kids were crowded around the teacher' s feet. "It's time," she said while looking at the class, "for clean-up. Everybody needs to go to their desk and start cleaning up." After a few more perfunctory directions, the kids headed for their desk to arrange their materials. Each received a wet cloth to clean their desk. Soon everyone was busy cleaning the tops of their desks. Several students, not wanting to leave anything uncleaned, got on their backs beneath their desks and cleaned the metal underside. "What are you doing?" I asked one such industrious student who was flat on his back looking up at a part of the desk rarely seen by any part of human civilization. He continued scrubbing his desk and said with a grimace. "I've got to get it clean. I think there's some dirt here."


Random Hallway Moment

I was standing in a high school hallway today when a girl came up to me with a big smile on her face. "You really scared Mr. Strukel [Accounting I teacher] today," she said, trying hard not to laugh. "Why is that?" I asked. "Because all of a sudden you were in his room." I nodded my head in agreement. "And you frightened me because when I turned around there was this guy in a dark suit standing in the back of the classroom."  I nodded my head in sympathy, "Yes, that was me." And with another big smile she turned back down the hallway toward her next class. 


Tips for parents

Message written on the sidewalk by Roosevelt teachers.


Should I talk to my child's teacher?

A parent was talking to me the other day and said they didn't want to talk to the teacher about an issue their child was having in school. They were worried the teacher was going to take it out on their child in some way and wondered if they talked to the teacher if that was going to negatively impact their child.

The answer is "no."

If there are problems or situations occurring in the classroom, Virginia teachers want to know about them and help fix things or make them better. It is a myth that by talking to the teacher about a problem your child is having that the teacher is somehow going to "take it out on your child."   

The vast majority of teachers want to know about problems your child is having and want to work with both you and your child to make things get better. Teachers in Virginia got into the profession wanting to help and work with kids. They didn't enter education because of an insatiable thirst for power and control over helpless students. 

So don't be shy. Pick up the phone and call any of your child's teachers. They are here to help and really do want your child to be performing well in the classroom, both socially and academically. When you do report a problem or issue to your child's teacher, the odds are high that things can be made better. 

And what can be better than that?

Dr. Noel Schmidt



Dr. Noel Schmidt Superintendent
411 South Fifth Avenue
Virginia, MN 55792
218-742-3901
nschmidt@vmps.org
"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."

                    Unknown