The National State Assessments are conducted in math, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography and United States History. None of these 30 schools grades 3-8 met the Ohio Department of Education’s state indicators for reading and math.

 Students taking the Ohio Graduation Test (10^th-11^th grade) only met the state requirement for reading and writing.

 In October 2010, the Toledo Board of Education (TBE) reported a 30-40 million dollars deficit that reduced programs and services for students, prompted personnel lay offs, elimination of extra curricular activities and three school closings.

 In November 2010, Toledo citizens voted down a 7.8 mil operating levy for Toledo Public Schools. These continued placement of Levies on the ballot continue to raise questions about the funding formula for Ohio schools that was found unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court all four (4) times it was brought before the court. Neither the Toledo Board of Education nor Administration has sought legal or community support to address this funding dilemma with state legislators or to look for other alternatives.

 The relationships between parents/families and school personnel in these 30 low performing schools are tenuous at best, with virtually no organized or consistent parent involvement or volunteers.

 In January 2011, Toledo Public School’s presented the “Transformation for the Future of our Schools” Plan. This plan includes redistricting/boundary line changes that does not address or include socio-economic, racial or cultural demographics. This plan also does not address diversity in the schools’ student body make up that could lead to full blown re-segregation of our schools in the 21^st century.

 Proof the Problem Exists

Located in Northwest Ohio, Toledo is at the epicenter of the nation with a population of approximately 313,619 and is the largest city in Lucas County. The racial demographics are: (40.8% white, 23.5% African American, 5.5% Hispanic, 2.6% Asian, 2.3% other and 0.9% Indian.

 Toledo Public Schools is the fourth largest Urban School District in Ohio, with an enrollment of 24,650 PreK-12 grade students. African Americans make up  45%, American Indians or Alaska natives make up 0.1%, Asian or Pacific Islanders make up 0.6%, Hispanics make up 8.4%, Multi-Racial make up 5.0%, White, non-Hispanics make up 40.8%, economically disadvantaged 66.6%, limited English proficient 1.5 %, and student with disabilities 19.2%.

 The district has 38 Elementary Schools, 7 Junior High Schools, 8 Senior High Schools and 13 Specialized Learning Centers. The yearly per pupil expenditure is $13,544 and all Toledo Public Schools now qualify as Title I schools. A Title I school is a school that receives supplemental federal funding due to the high percentage of low-income students. Title I schools have 40 percent or more of their students on free or reduced-price lunch. Title I funding is intended to help close the achievement gap between low and high performing schools and ensure that all children have the opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach grade-level proficiency. Based on the Title I School requirements, Toledo Public Schools is failing to adequately meet these requirements.

 In September of 2010, the Ohio Department of Educations’ Average Yearly Progress Report, a federally required measure ranking, placed 30 Toledo Public Schools in continuous Improvement Status. (19 Elementary, 6 Junior High and 5 High Schools) 12 of the Elementary, 2 of the Junior Highs’ and 2 of the High Schools have been in continuous improvement for four to seven years, and shockingly, Pickett Academy has been in School Improvement (SI) status for 11 years.

 Generally, a school will enter School Improvement (SI) after missing Average Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years, and can exit SI only after meeting AYP for two consecutive years. Schools that are in SI for three or more years require a large amount of extensive, corrective actions along with school restructuring.

 During the 2009-2010 school years, 65% of the students attending these thirty Toledo Public Schools had two or more similar indicators; 70% are economically disadvantaged and 75% received free and or reduced price lunch because of low annual median family income.

 The socio-economic status of 68% of families with children attending these Schools reflects a concentration of economic disadvantages and their cumulative effects on educational achievement and social skills. Most of the parents want to be involved in their children’s schooling or social development but sometimes lack the educational or social skills, adequate resources or support for themselves to constructively engage in their educational achievement and healthy social development.

 CQE’s years of work, collaboration and advocacy with and on behalf of parent/families provided us with first hand information about their reluctance to actively get involved in their children school ie:

• They feel disenfranchised or powerless because of perceived or real barriers that are systemic within systems and institutions.
• A lack of fair and uniformed implementation of school policies, rules, practices and or their understanding of same.
• School climates that is not friendly or welcoming toward parents/families.
• The strained relationships between parents, teachers and school personnel in general that’s based on mutual interest and respect.

 Basic Solution

Educational researchers such as Head Start, Even Start, Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), have statistics that show that over time consistent and organized involvement by parents can and will have a positive influence on student academic achievement and healthy social development. Furthermore, the CQE’s work of advocacy and experience with and on behalf of Toledo Public Schools parents/families and the schools supports this established premise of “when parent are well informed, organized, and actively engaged in the education of their children and the schools that they attend, children do better in school and go to better schools.”

 Also, we’ve seen what happens when students witnessed their parents/families, teachers and other stakeholder develop alliances, relationships and partnerships with each other. Students attitudes about school and learning improves, they also demonstrate a greater sense of respect for self and others as well as those in authority.

 Using the above researched premise, CQE has selected three of the lowest performing Toledo Public Schools as pilots to demonstrate what the researchers have found and what CQE also believes when we have the will, discernment and commitment to work together for the purpose of improving and sustaining the learning, achievement and social development of students attending these three schools it can happen. The schools selected are Pickett Academy, (which is our primary focus since this school has been in SI status longer than any school in the district), Sherman Elementary and Martin Luther King Academy for Boys.

 Pickett Academy

• 418     Enrollment
• 95%    Free and reduced lunch
• 19.2% Special Ed
• 92.1% Black/Non Hispanic
• 5.4%   White Non Hispanic
• No consistent or organized parent involvement

Pickett Academy is presently located in a temporary location (the old Martin Luther King Elementary School building) until their new school is complete.

 Sherman Elementary School

• 368     Enrollment
• 64.4% Black/Non Hispanic
• 14.4% White Non Hispanic
• 4.8%   Multi Racial
• 9.2%   Students with Disabilities
• 95.0% Economically Disadvantaged

 Martin Luther King Academy for Boys

• 267     Enrollment
• 94.9% Black/Non Hispanic
• 0%      White Non Hispanic
• 11.8% Students with Disabilities
• 90.3% Economically Disadvantaged

 CQE’s Solution

• Using CQE’s strong uniqueness in building alliances and relationships between stakeholders will be the initial approach.
• Use CQE’s Opening Doors & Building Bridges for Student Achievement’s plan, concept and activities, to convene multiple meeting with stakeholders, parents/families, TPS Administrators, school personnel, community and social agencies to share our mission, vision, get their buy in.
• Seek funding for project/solutions, joint partnerships.
• Use multiple forms of outreach, communication, and advocacy to educate, engage and mobilize parents and families as effective participants and volunteers for these three schools Pickett being the primary focus.
• Develop FYI fact sheets that provide information and understanding for parents, families, and other stakeholders about public education legislation, policies, rules programs and practices.
• Utilize the meetings to update and distribute “Parent Involvement Tool Kits” for parents/families. Disseminate fact sheets, Tool Kits and educational materials that include but is not limited to:
  • An Action Guide for Community and Parent Leaders on No Child Left Behind and Title I, Public Education Network, Washington, D.C.
  • Beyond the Bake Sale, An Educator’s Guide To Working with Parents, by Anne T. Henderson, Carl L. Marburger and Theodora Ooms.
  • Whose IDEA Is This? A Resource Guide for Parents, Developed by the Ohio Department of Education in cooperation with the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, Columbus, Ohio.
  • Comprehensive Individual School Profile Data and Guide, the Coalition for Quality Education.
• Document strengths, gaps and weaknesses in academic achievement test scores and social skills for students in targeted schools to be used as diagnostic intervention and remediation by the schools, families or social agencies.
• Solicit interns from The University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and Lourdes Education and Allied Profession Department to assist and work with us for this project.
• Utilize the expertise and recourses of Toledo Public School and The University of Toledo to provide Parents of Pickett School Students with class preparation for their G.E.D. or continuing Education.
• CQE will continue to advocate for, with, and on behalf of all Toledo Public School parents/families as needed.

 Evaluation (internal and external)

• CQE will assess both formative and summary data to determine any revisions needed to insure stated goals and objectives are achieved.
• Solicit and utilize independent evaluator to assist in developing assessment/reports that outline quantitative and qualitative results of our work with accompanying recommendations for implementation and modification when, and if, needed.

The local United Way provided the following statistics on requests for some type of financial assistance; between September 1, 2010 and March 16, 2011 requests for rent, utility, heating assistance and water bills there was a combined request totaling 4644.  As people became unemployed or under employed they must seek alternate financial help.  With those numbers being so high this shows a true need in the community.  With the financial resources within the church community being so low people have turned to the different ministries the Clearinghouse has helped the churches design and manage.  Instead of providing money towards the rent or utility the churches have stepped up with the help of the Clearinghouse to see those families are helped in some way.

Other issues that might arise for a family in need might be the choice of paying the item for which they are seeking financial assistance versus buying the food or toiletry items they need for their family.

The most common approach to a request for financial help is to provide the money to the person seeking assistance. 

With the help of the Clearinghouse the church network has developed ministries to help alleviate costs to the person in need in other areas.  Five network churches provide the person in need with a month’s worth of personal care items; this allows the person in need to take the money saved by the use of this ministry and apply it to the original request of financial help.  This is a very unique way to handle the request and one that is only in process through the TAM Clearinghouse.  Since it is part of the Clearinghouse’s mission to “Help churches help people” we are able to help the churches identify and design ministries that will help those in need beyond their request for money.

1 John 4:8

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love…”

There are many people who are religious.  In fact, according to Adherents.com website, of the 6.3 Billion people on the planet all but 1 billion are religious in some way.  Over 5 billion people adhere to some kind of religion.  This means that the vast majority on earth claim to know God or some kind of deity. In America, depending on whose statistics you read, more than 40% of the population claim Christianity as their religion.  That means over 120,000,000 people in America claim they know the God of the Christian Bible.

Here’s the problem… if one of the key evidences of knowing God is how we love people, then it seems that our statistics are greatly skewed.  If over 5 billion people in the world really knew God, there would be far less hate, violence, intimidation, prejudice and injustice in the world. Right?

Knowing God means knowing love: we would know love that is beyond our capacity to produce from within ourselves.  It is troubling when a church claiming to know God so well that they claim to have a message from God and then the message is full of hate, intimidation and injustice.  Pastors and congregations protesting at funerals of soldiers they don’t even know, calling it God’s judgment on America, the death of a soldier. Pastors and congregations planning to burn religious books; Pastors and congregations yelling at young women “baby killers” as they protest abortions; Pastor’s and congregations denying, through protests and voting, individual civil rights by race, ethnicity or sexual orientation all in the name of God “told us to do this.” It is not compatible to claim to have heard from the God who is love and then speak or behave hatefully.  We need to speak the truth but we need to speak it in love.

If we want to know God, we must know this perfect love that casts out all fear.  The love we need to experience is love that is beyond us – outside of us and that can flow through us.  Knowing God begins with surrender so that the power of love can be in us and permeate our attitudes, thought processes and behaviors.  When we open ourselves up to knowing God in a real and tangible ways the evidence will be this unconditional love flowing through us.  It will be the kind of love that allows us to treat people that make our blood boil with dignity, respect and compassion. We might conclude that of the 5 billion +religious  adherents on the earth that they might be seeking God or a Deity but we cannot lay claim to knowing God until the evidence of love shows up.  In the meantime we trust in the grace of God to sustain us while we seek to know Him.  My prayer is that we will really know God today so that love might flow into our families, neighborhoods and even our enemies.

The Beatles song is right – “All we need is Love!”

Many Americans are in debt up to their ears… We go into debt for homes, vehicles, clothing, entertainment and much, much more.  When we attempt to borrow money we have to have our credit rating assessed to assure the lender that we’re good for the money.  Our Government is so far in debt that it could take generations to pay it all back if we stopped borrowing.  We could say that America has a culture of debt… we’re always purchasing in the present with other people’s money and then the stuff is broken before we pay it off.  How many of those Christmas toys that we put on our credit cards are already broken and we probably just made the first minimum payment?

The Apostle Paul in his writing to the Roman Church penned these words… “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8 – NIV) I interpret this to mean pay your bills but you can never pay in full the debt of love.  Love is an overused and often misrepresented word in our culture so it is with some trepidation that I type these words about love because of the depleted meaning of love.  Yet I will press on because love is what is needed in our time more than ever.

How do we get in debt to love?  The answer is quite simple really; the debt comes from being loved.  God loves us with an unconditional love.  Now I know we’ve all been taught since we were little children that God is love… but I’m not sure we actually understand by our behavior that we catch that God’s love is unconditional.  Many people think God is some kind of character sitting at some big control panel in heaven (headquarters) waiting for us to screw up and then hit us with the zap – I gotcha button.  “O there’s Steve again doing that thing he always does, my last zap must not have been shocking enough, so here goes, one more good zap and he should learn his lesson and figure out I’m mad at him right now.” Unconditional love, however, isn’t tied to our behavior.  God’s love transcends behavior, attitude and thoughts.  There isn’t one blessed thing we can do to earn His favor, His love or His grace.  In fact in His great love God has chosen to give us the greatest gift of all… the gift of self determination.  By God’s great design we can choose to live the way we want and it does not change one thing about how much He loves us.  When we choose to demonstrate our love back to God it makes it real, it is genuine and it is pure because there is no coercion in it.  Unlike the way we teach our children to love us… we coerce, manipulate and intimidate.  We teach our children that if they’re good then we’ll do well for them.  No wonder we have a distorted view of the love of God, but that love is what has created the debt of love for each of us.

The manifestation of our love for God is supposed to be demonstrated in our love for others.  Jesus said that loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves fulfilled the law.  Paul repeats it here in Romans.  Loving God and loving others is one in the same commandment… not two different commands.  We owe the debt of love and we must continually pay that debt in how we treat people.  The Apostle John said we can’t say that we love God who cannot see and then hate people we can see.  It simply isn’t compatible… it doesn’t matter what religion a person engages, if we claim to love our Creator and hate the people around us we are liars of the worst kind.  If we gain anything from being loved by God, and we do, then we owe a debt of love to each and every human being on the planet.  The Apostle Paul goes on to define love for our fellow human being as doing nothing that would bring harm to them (Romans 8:10).  What if that love definition were applied to our neighborhoods? What if that definition were applied to the Palestinians and the Israelis?  What if love were applied to racial, cultural and ethnic relationship?  What if love were to burst forth in our families?  As humans we will never apply love in a perfect way.  I’m not sure we even possess the capacity to determine how to love each other in a way that does no harm.  This is why God invented forgiveness so we could get past the places we fail to love.  We need to forgive the places where love and trust have been destroyed so that we can move back to paying our debt of love.  We all owe it and we should all spend the rest of our lives trying to perfect it.

In the beginning I spoke of our credit rating that must be assessed prior to us borrowing money and creating new debts.  That rating is supposed to determine our trustworthiness with money.  I wonder what our “love rating” would be?  How trustworthy are with love?  How are we doing in our love debt repayment?  It’s something to consider.  I challenge each of us to take stock of our love debt and make a decision to be an agent of love.  Where we fail each other lets forgive and then move right back into repaying the love debt we all owe in a very big way.  It can never be repaid but it shouldn’t stop us from trying.

The feedback meeting will be hosted by Scott Sylak, the Executive Director of MHRSB of Lucas County, and Toledo Area Ministries. The interactive feedback meeting will take place on February 1st, 2011 from 9 - 10:30am at the Glenwood Lutheran Church located at  2545 Monroe St. Toledo, OH 43620.

**A continental breakfast and snacks will be provided for your enjoyment and for our way of saying thanks for giving us your input and feedback!

Please come out to share your concerns, comments and questions about mental health and recovery services in our community. See you there!

In recent days I’ve heard several calls for a revival of civil discourse in our nation.  I agree with the need for civil discourse but I’m not sure we’re asking for a revival or renewal of such discourse and as I read American History I don’t think we’ve ever had civil discourse in a comprehensive way.  Whether in politics, religion, race relations or socio economic classes… the discourse has always been rough.  I know that we’ve had moments of real civility and I know we’ve had genuine statesmanship at times, but I don’t think we’ve ever had comprehensive civility. This is why I and others are calling for civility, kindness and respect to become a movement across this nation that can inspire the world.

I know that some who are reading this are thinking… “This is far too idealistic and could never happen.”  I know it may seem that way but I believe all behavior is a choice.  How we respond to people, the attitude we have toward people and the kinds of things we choose to say are all controllable.  Even a person with evil intent can change his or her mind and behave in a civil manner.  It is a matter of choice to behave with kindness toward one another.  It is simply choosing to speak to another human being with civility and respect.  I don’t think we’re asking for much by issuing this call… it’s just a matter of common decency.

It is time for those of us who are sick of the vitriolic political rhetoric to demand better.  I think the silent majority needs to be awakened and be called to action.  Our political leaders need to behave better.  They need to learn the art of real debate and statesmanship.  We need to be able to have a political discussion that demonstrates real civility while getting our opposing viewpoints across.  Disagreement is not bad!  In fact it’s only out of disagreement and conflict that superior ideas are born.  The issue is not disagreement but the issue is how we treat one another in the midst of disagreement.  This silent majority of decent people in our nation need to demand better. In political airways and internet we need to stand up and be counted.  Politics as usual will not be tolerated.  When we hear someone engaging in the politics of fear, deception, lies, and vitriol we need to call them on it.  We need to ask for real debate.  We need to demand genuine statesmanship.

Our entertainment dollars are supporting lyrics, scripts, and images that don’t lift anyone.  If fact, there are so many things in our mediums of entertainment that contribute to the destruction of society and have little or no redeeming value. When we know offensive concepts, language and behavior are in movies, TV shows and music we need to lead the campaign to make sure it’s not purchased or advertisers and/or producers feel our disgust in their pocket books.  I am not calling for book burnings or and end to free speech, I’m simply asking us the consumer to behave in a more responsible and civil way.  If you and I don’t buy it they will quit making it!

It is time for all of us to act with civility toward one another.  We need to do kind things spontaneously for each other, and we need to treat each and every person with respect.  I think I have a simple way for all of us to implement this call into our lives.  I call it the “sacred pause.”  The sacred pause is that moment to collect our thoughts and decide what’s civil, kind and respectful.  Many disagreements that take place are out of spontaneous anger.  We get defensive; we get angry; we get frustrated and then lash out.  If we could all just implement that sacred pause… we might just hear each other.  Sacred pauses could lead to understanding.  The sacred pause could give us that split second to choose civility, kindness and respect.  My prayer is that we will heed the call and start a movement that could lead this nation to be the city on a hill that lights the way to a more peaceful and thoughtful world.

2011 represents one of our most important and milestone years of Toledo Area Ministries’ history. On February 22, 2011, TAM is celebrating its 125th anniversary! This years theme for Toledo Area Ministries will represent “A legacy of connections, advocacy, and impact” and through this we will host several events and services that will allow TAM to not only honor the past but provide new opportunities to help shape the future.

If you are unaware of who TAM is and where it all began, here is a brief history lesson! Beginning in 1886 as the Sunday Association with 13 congregations and growing into the present day organization with 9 core ministries with many supporting congregations TAM has morphed into the oldest and largest ecumenical organization in the State of Ohio.  As part of this milestone year, we want you to join us and/or support us in this celebration throughout the coming year at several significant events and through giving in the 125 Campaign.  The dollars we raise locally are leveraged for local, state and national dollars that provide significant programs that impact and transform people’s lives.  The 125 Campaign attempts to get at least 125 individuals to give at least $125 in honor of our 125^th anniversary.  You can give a onetime gift or you can give 12 installments of $10.42. Your continued support will be greatly appreciated. To learn more on how you can contribute and participate, please call our office at 419-242-7401 or browse through our website at www.tamohio.org.

Again, TAM thanks you for your continuing support and welcomes you to this prosperous and exciting New Year! TAM hopes that you will join in celebrating their 125th anniversary!

Welcome to the new Toledo Area Ministries (TAM) blog!  The blog is a great way to keep up with our current events, discussion issues, and prayer requests.  Check here for frequent updates and information about TAM’s programs, upcoming events , community forums and more.  Each post will also have a different topic for discussion.  Comments are welcome and encouraged, but TAM does reserve the right to screen all said comments.  Please be respectful of others’ opinions!

The TAM prayer network will also be a new element to our blog.  This is a chance to lift up your own prayer requests as well as organizational requests.  Using our large network of churches and ministries in the Toledo area, we will pray as a community for those in need.  Each week you can send any and all prayer requests to us by email at tam@tamohio.org .  We will then post a summary of those requests here as we ask the community to pray for our churches, organizations etc. and their health.  Our collaborations are a major part of the work we do here at TAM, and thus it is fitting that we not only work together but pray together as well.

Here’s a quick run-down of what’s been happening around TAM lately… We are currently gearing up for our 3^rd Annual Impact Banquet on May 4^th.  The event will take place at the Maritime Center (1701 Front Street, Toledo) at 5:30pm and will honor our leaders and volunteers in the Toledo area who dedicate their time and energy in service to our community.  It’s going to be a great night with a gourmet dinner, raffles prizes, an award ceremony and more! For ticket information or donations call us at 419-242-7401.

Also, our next Community Forum is April 29^th and the topic is “Mental Illness and the Church—How Does the Church Relate to those dealing with Mental Illness in Our Community?”  Join us with a panel of experts in the field to openly discuss how we can better respond and meet the needs of those dealing with a mental illness.  The event will take place from 9am-1pm at Glenwood Lutheran Church (2545 Monroe Street Toledo, OH 43620) Tickets are $25 and include light breakfast food, all materials and a full networking lunch.   Call the main office at 419-242-740 for more info or registration.

That said, our discussion topic this week to consider is in preparation for the next forum; how do we relate to individuals struggling with mental illness?  What is the current church response?  Is it always as compassionate as it should be?  Food for thought…Feel free to comment.  Until next time J