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- The new mandate and the fear of confrontation.

And starting the 107th year of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in the cities.

(upbeat music) Wearing masks has become one of the new flashpoints in education.

In Illinois, it's a statewide mandate, an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, not only because children might get seriously ill, but because students may pass the virus on to older people or those with weakened immunity.

In Iowa, lawmakers made such mandates illegal, but a court's temporary injunction changed all that, and districts statewide, are now returning to mask mandates.

Such is the case in Davenport, where we talked with superintendent TJ Schneckloth in his first extended interview since a 5/2 school board decision to enforce a mass mandate.

Are you expecting any major problems?

- Well, what we are planning for is going to look very similar to the way we ended the school year last year.

So our students, our students are very familiar with the environment that they'll be walking into our Monday.

- Well, as you know, one of your board members says, you know, the students, isn't the worry, it's the parents, and so do you expect much of a confrontation?

- So, whatever comes our way on Monday, we're going to, we're going to approach it with a, with a relationship-building mindset.

So, our community members, whether they're, whatever side they're on in this issue, we're gonna treat them with respect.

We're going to listen.

We're going to try and find the middle ground to move forward because our school board has spoken.

This is the mandate that we have, and we must move forward with it.

- Now, as you know, of course, Davenport was one of the 10 schools that was listed in the lawsuit, claiming that you were violating the rights of disabled students.

Was the state's mandate to ban mask mandate, so to speak?

I mean, did that put you in a tough, a tough position to begin with?

- This whole situation isn't one for anyone to navigate.

And schools are at the forefront of that.

And so what's, what we do is we follow the laws.

So in absence of a law, we've, we lean on our public health officials.

So the Scott County Health Department, CDC, those guidelines, those are what, absence of a law, that's what we follow.

Our local public health department, at the direction of Dr. Katz, is highly recommending masking indoors and so does the CDC.

School districts, this is outside of our arena, and for many years, we've been leaning on that, public, Scott County Health Department to help us make decisions in similar situations like this.

If there's an outbreak, they help us make this decision.

They help make recommendations.

And so, absence of a law, the safe harbor for school districts is exactly that, lean on, the lean on the CDC and lean on Scott County Health Department to help make those decisions, and those are the recommendations that are, that are based off the transmission rates in Scott County, that our Scott, that our health department is recommending for us.

- There's always the fear that when you get a group of people, even a group of kids, and that's what you're seeing in schools all over the place, is that the chance of being infected is greater.

What have you seen now?

What, are you about three weeks into the school year?

I mean, have there been a lot of absentees?

Do you notice that perhaps COVID is spreading, either among staff or students at this point?

- Yes.

We, we have seen the numbers inside of our district.

I think our positive cases are at 157 from the start of the school year.

Our staff, we are at a staff shortage right now.

We're having a very difficult time covering classes.

Now that's, that's twofold.

One because nationwide there's a teacher shortage, and because of the, the rules and expectations that we have in place to prevent the spread of COVID and other illnesses right now.

The teachers are staying home when they're sick and taking care of their families when they're sick.

And so we are having a difficult time covering our classes and it has been very difficult for our administration and families to navigate this.

It's been very difficult this year so far.

- And we've talked in the past, is that because this is a virus.

I mean, if you get a cold, you get the sniffles, you're out two days and for a teacher, and then you're back, this is much different because of the quarantine after you've been infected, so to speak, or at least tested positive.

- Exactly.

And so we want to really make sure that we are, that we are not spreading, we're not spreading it inside of our schools.

And so we have a staff handbook and our staff are doing an excellent job following the handbook, but it does put quite constraints on, on our school personnel.

They are trying to make sure that our students have a high quality edu... (poor audio) - Well, now we've talked about the mask mandate, but we're also looking for perhaps a vaccine mandate.

How does the school district plan on dealing with that, and do you have any idea what the percentage of staff members that are vaccinated is right now?

- Yeah, unfortunately we... (audio breaks) have those numbers.

We are well equipped to handle any kind of vaccination that would come to our community.

As you remember last year, we, we set up our own clinic.

The the local health systems allowed us to, to run our own vaccination of our staff members, and it went really well.

Our own nurse, we utilize our own nurses and our own nursing staff and partnered with Genesis to get that done and it worked really well.

So we're well equipped if, if a vaccine, if a vaccine does come out for our elementary age students, we're well equipped to, to assist in any way.

That's, that's kind of something I'm very proud of, Davenport Community School District, is that we can really mobilize such a large organization in a short period of time.

We've proven that over the last couple of years.

I'm very proud of that.

- I don't want to put words in your mouth, but it would seem to me that if it takes masks, if it takes vaccinations, whatever it takes to get the kids in school is what you'll do because you don't wanna lose that face time anymore.

- Well, you hit the nail on the head, and, you know, in our conversations in the past, I've always said you cannot replace face to face education with a teacher in a classroom.

And you know, when all else fails relationships prevail and that's what's very difficult in these times, is to build those really strong relationships because of absenteeism or lack of attendance due to the virus, due to the virus.

And so I, I... You hit the nail on the head.

Couldn't have said it any better.

We, we, we really need our students face to face with our, with our teachers and staff.

- And what efforts are being done this school year in order to make sure that the students catch up?

Because I know that you had programs over the summer.

I know that you've tried to do more tutoring.

You've done whatever you can for those students that had a tough time learning on their own, learning outside the classroom.

What's being done this school year?

- So one of the, one of the first things that we did is we reviewed our data from last year and we started intervention plans at the first week of school.

All of our building leadership teams, they sat down, they looked, they looked at their student data and they put together plans for those students that are, that are persistently behind the benchmark and, and hit the ground running right out of the shoot.

Our teams have done a wonderful job reviewing the data.

At our high schools, we've immediately hired credit recovery staff members, and we're, we built credit recovery labs in each one of our high schools and we were reviewing students who are behind in credit and ensuring that they get the opportunity to make that credit up.

So in each one of our high schools, we have staff members that have case loads of students, and they're constantly working with those students to make sure that they get back on track for the graduation.

- These are unprecedented times.

How do you measure the success of this type of a program?

Because like I said, it's only three weeks into the school year, and I also assume that it's going to be ongoing well into April and May.

- Absolutely.

Actually it will be something that we're tracking for several years.

You know, the loss of your kindergarten or first grade years are absolutely detrimental.

And so what does that look like to make that up?

And, and every, every week, every month that goes by, we learn more about our students, what their needs are and we're, and we're willing to adjust.

At the secondary level, you know, we're constantly tracking attendance, behavior and grades, and those, the ABCs, you know, the courses that our students are getting or, or failing or, or succeeding on, we need to really ensure that they're set up on a path for success.

And that's exactly what our, our high school and secondary leaders are looking at right now, to track that unfinished learning, as this at the Department of Ed.

is calling it, is exactly what we're trying to ensure, that our students get an opportunity to finish that learning.

- We are midway through September, and of course, that's when the census is being taken, as far as a school districts are concerned, all across the nation, definitely all across Iowa and Davenport as well.

What do the census figures show for Davenport schools right now?

- Well, as you know, the open enrollment change we are seeing due to the change in that law, as of, I think Monday, we got 157 students open roll out.

One of the, one of the things that we did last year is looking at our budget for this year, we projected and what the enrollment will be, and as we are trending right now, we're very close to what we projected.

So we've had a rash of students come back from online learning last year and, and come back to our schools, and then we projected just about based off of our historical data, the people that request to open and rollout at the start of the school year.

And so our projections are pretty close.

And so right now we're still gathering data where we're anticipating that October deadline as you, as you referenced earlier, so we're gathering data, gathering information just to see exactly what the impact of COVID is, and the open enrollment to Davenport school.

- Do you generally know a reason why people have opted out of Davenport schools?

Do they have to give a reason?

- No, they do not have to give a reason.

And we have some feedback that we are gonna be collaboratively working with the Department of Ed.

on to allow us to gather better, better data.

So, those are some of the things that we're collecting right now to, to enter in a collaborative discussion about how to, to better move forward with that.

- Now, of course, Davenport is still under state supervision as far as its operations.

When's your next big report, so to speak?

When do you get the next big report card from the state?

- So we, we were, we went before the Department of Education and the state school board yesterday and the interaction was very positive.

The state school board is, is much in favor of what's going on at Davenport right now, and the reason is because we're putting systems in place that will last, outlast any human being that's here.

We, we're putting in place a systems for reviewing data, for setting our budgets, all of those really big infrastructure things that help set, set a district on, on a course for success.

And also though, we are reviewing exactly what our plan is.

So right now, everyone in our district knows that our plan is early literacy and implementing a positive behavior, positive behavior system in this district.

And that's the direction that we're going, and all the ores are rowing in that direction.

And so all of those signs are very positive.

And so our report yesterday was a very positive report.

And the feedback that we got from the state school board was very positive.

- One of the issues, of course, had to do with the treatment of minority students.

So, so where's the progress been in that area?

- So, the biggest thing that we can do inside of our district to, to help disproportionality is to ensure that all of our students can read, and that we have a positive behavior system inside of our districts.

And so what that means is, if the expectations in all of our buildings clear.

When those expectations aren't met, are we proactive with students?

Do we have on-ramps for students that may make a mistake instead of just suspending or expelling?

Do we have a plan for a student to, to get back on track?

And so that's what positive behavior intervention system means, and that's exactly what we're implementing in our district.

And right now, I'm proud to say that every single one of our buildings, our building leadership teams, they have met, they have a plan and I consider that plan as a continuum.

So every single one of our buildings has jumped on that continuum and they're heading in the right direction.

And so, we are closely monitoring that.

I would say another positive thing is we have reestablished our, our very strong relationship with Mississippi Bend AEA and they're helping guide us along on that journey.

And, you know, this is our plan and we're heading in that direction.

Another thing that we've done at the direction of our school board president, Dan Gosa who has done a wonderful job of helping navigate some of these really difficult times that we're in.

We have established standing meetings with LULAC and NAACP and we have standing items and we review data with them, that we get feedback from them, and we're going to continue to do those types of meetings with our community as we move forward because that's critical to move forward, to get our community input.

And so we're moving in the right direction by implementing those two main things, which were, which is the Davenport Plan, and we're reaching out to our community groups to help give us feedback.

You know, everybody's got blind spots or your own bias, and the more people you introduce your plan to, or your course of action to, you really get to examine your blind spots.

And so as an organization and as a district, that's the direction that we're headed.

- TJ Schnekloth, Davenport School Superintendent.

In a moment, a new season for the Symphony Orchestra with some wizardly magic added to the mix.

But first, Laura Adams joins us now with some great ideas if you're heading out and about.

(upbeat music) - [Laura] This is Out & About for September 24th through 30th.

Lace up your running shoes for the Quad Cities Marathon, the 25th and 26th, starting at the Tax Slayer Center, or shop the Fall Community Garage Sale in Longview Park in Rock Island with over 6,000 square feet of shopping.

It's on the 25th, from 8:00 to 2:00, while Bishop Hill's annual 19th century harvest festival, Jordbruksdagarna, takes place September 25th and 26.

Check out The Greater Quad Cities Renaissance Faire at Credit Island Park, or bring your walking shoes to Riverside Cemetery for Echoes from Riverside, with costume characters taking on a stroll through the past.

It happens the 25th from 1:00 to 3:00.

Enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine at Mercado on Fifth the 24th, starting at 5:00, and Live@Five, their Free Courtyard Series, the RME, features The Wontu Trees, the 24th at 5:00.

There's Ghost Tales at the Colonel Davenport House with spooky stories by local storytellers on the 25th at 7:00.

Bring a lawn chair or a blanket, while the Spotlight Theater presents the musical, Little Shop of Horrors through October 3rd.

Disenchanted, the hilarious naughty musical continues#^ to entertain at Circa '21.

And there's lots of comedy coming up, the Stand Up Comedy Competition at the Speakeasy.

Tomfoolery on Tremont, featuring Alex Cooper at Renwick Mansion, the 29th at 7:00, and Weisenheimer Long Form Improvisation comes back to The Black Box Theater, with special guests, Jameson Cox, the 25th at 7:30.

For more information, visit wpt.org.

- Thank you, Laura.

Quad City musician, Murray Lee Rice, is part of the four-man group, Rude Punch, but he joined us at The Black Box Theater in Moline to play one of his originals.

So here's Murray Lee Rice with "Happy or the unnecessary need to self-destruct".

(guitar playing) - ♪ I'm on easy street ♪ ♪ But I'm used to gravel roads ♪ ♪ I'm finally on the straightaway ♪ ♪ Why am I waiting for this car to explode ♪ ♪ They say happiness soothes someone ♪ ♪ Why does it feel so off on me ♪ ♪ I've just been beat down for so long ♪ ♪ This is such a new feeling ♪ ♪ And I'm scared that it's going to leave me ♪ ♪ I'm finally at a deep end to wider shallow pew ♪ ♪ So why am I tryn' to pull up on this lifeboat's anchor ♪ ♪ They say happiness will set you free ♪ ♪ Why do I feel like I'm drowning ♪ ♪ I've just been swimmin' for so long ♪ ♪ These shallow waters worry me ♪ ♪ And I'm scared to be carefree ♪ ♪ I'm finally flying high and I lend up bliss so it's me ♪ ♪ So why am I calling for a nosedive ♪ ♪ From the only first class seat ♪ ♪ They say happiness is the greatest thing ♪ ♪ Why do I let it punish me ♪ ♪ I've just been in a hole for so long ♪ ♪ Cloud nine makes me queasy ♪ ♪ And I'm scared to be ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm scared to be ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm scared to be ♪ ♪ Happy ♪ - Murray Lee Rice with "Happy or the unnecessary need to self-destruct".

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is ready to begin its 107th season with its Masterworks series and in November, a touch of magic with a salute to one of JK Rowling's Harry Potter books.

We talked with conductor and music director, Mark Russell Smith.

Getting ready for the 107th season.

We're very much post pandemic right now.

What are you anticipating for this coming season?

- I am anticipating great energy.

I think great, a great reception from everybody.

I think, you know, last year was trying for so many people in so many ways and well, unfortunately, we can't be totally, totally normal.

You know, we're gonna have full orchestras, we're going to have audience, and so we're so, we're so much closer to normal, and the normal energy of the normal symphonic experience that I think everybody can't wait.

I mean, to sit close together, you know, in the pandemic, we, the musicians and I had to socially distance, and so to play music with people and, that you're, from whom you're six feet away, you know, is a big challenge.

I mean, we rely on each other, we are, you know, we're, we sit close together, and to be able to get back to that and to really, you know, playing chamber music is gonna be fantastic.

- Well, I, you know, I, I'm sitting there thinking, you know, it's the 107th season, which means you're going through your second pandemic with the Spanish flu back in 20... And let's be honest, you guys are survivors.

- We are.

We are.

And you know, we are one of the older orchestras in the country.

I mean, there are a few more that, maybe, have a decade on us or so, but, you know, way back when, people in the Quad Cities thought it was a very important thing.

It was an essential thing that, that if you're a town, if you're a civilized place to live, then you have an orchestra.

And there were, you know, there was that community will, and it's always been there, and man, last year it was demonstrated more than ever.

I mean, the way the community rallied with us and the way they were just so appreciative of the fact that we were still giving concerts and whether they came live or whether they, you know, watched the live stream.

I mean, the support that we enjoyed and, and the, the, the letters that we got and the feedback that we got for doing what we do and, and kind of underscoring just how essential the arts and music are.

You know, it was really proof that, I mean, this community loves this orchestra and they've been supporting it for, like you said, 107 years.

- Garrick Ohlson is your pianist that you're featuring in your first Masterworks performance.

What a performance that's going to be.

- Oh man.

He's, he's a legend.

He has a special relationship with the Quad Cities.

I mean, he's been playing here for decades.

And when he was a young pianist, just starting off, he would come and, and, and kind of try out, like maybe, before going to the New York Philharmonic or the Boston Symphony, he'd come here and play the concerto, and so our audiences know his artistry, and as he's developed and, and, you know, I mean, now he's a grand master and, you know, for him to come back and play...

He just a few years ago, played the Brahms Concerto with us, and now doing the Samuel Barber Concerto, a great American work, and I think under appreciated.

He's a, he's a great advocate of that piece, and so, I mean, it'll be such a thrill to have him back.

- And of course, it's the start of Masterworks, but then let's talk about November.

You've got a jam-packed November, starting with Masterworks number two, and I thought it was kinda interesting.

You're doing a little bit of what, poetry, some of the written word and fantasy as well?

- Right.

I mean, this pro, this is a program, like, predicated around the written word and or, or fairytales, or kind of, you know, extra musical ideas.

And so we have Hansel und Gretel.

We have Romeo and Juliet.

We have a wonderful piece by African-American composer, Michael Abels.

Leo Lionni has written these fables, these children's fables called "Frederick's Fables" about a mouse.

And this one is about a mouse.

Well, we have a couple of stories actually about, like, there's one artist, mouse, who doesn't do a lot of work when they're preparing for the winter, but then come winter, when people need stories, and people need colors, and people need their imaginations product, well, this mouse comes to the fore.

And so, you know, there are a lot of big metaphorical stories that are wonderful.

- And also, they're also great for children, you know what I mean?

It's that this is so great for families.

It's not only that, but then you're getting into Harry Potter as well, just before Thanksgiving.

I mean, it seems like you're really trying to say, "Okay, we know we are loved by adults, but get the kids in too, there's something here that we can offer them."

- Exactly.

No.

And that, you know, Frederick's Fables, I mean, those are children's stories, and of course, Harry Potter.

We, you know, I mean, orchestra music is for everybody, and the Quad Cities has such a rich, music education tradition in the schools that we have played a part in, and the youth orchestra has played a part that, you know, making the orchestra not of this strange foreign object, but making it, you know, vital and relevant to kids, it's something that, that we are just so committed to doing.

I mean, it's, it's not just self-serving because it'll help us in the future, but it's, you know, I mean, our art is for everybody, and no matter what your level of sophistication, no matter what your age, I believe that orchestral music and what we do on stage will absolutely reach you wherever you are.

- Well, and I love the fact that you don't have to necessarily go to the Symphony Orchestra.

The Symphony Orchestra will go to you.

Case in point once again, is that you're doing something unusual with Improv and you're gonna be an Eldridge to do it.

- Right.

That, I mean, that's our, our volunteers for the Symphony has an event, a fundraising events that, you know, we have just a incredible core of, of community members, activists, community activists in the best sense who help us in our mission and who volunteer their time.

And so this is a fundraiser for our education programs.

The Comedy Improv, they get GIT, Comedy Improv Troupe, and will help us raise money to reach children.

I mean, specifically money that will go to our education.

- So many great performances.

I've only touched a little bit of the tip of the iceberg.

You've got a great website that lists all of the programs you're gonna be doing, as well as whether you're gonna buy tickets for the season or for each particular performance, you just wanna see some eyes out there because now you can get out of your homes and get into the seats and experience a true Symphony Orchestra.

- Absolutely.

And there's nothing like being there live, you know, it's, it's, I mean, thank goodness for the live stream and that's been fantastic and we will continue to live stream for those who are away or for those who can't make it, but there's nothing like being there.

And you know, the audience is, is just as vital as the orchestra.

I mean, it takes, it goes both ways and we're performing for people and the live experiences is like nothing else.

- Quad City Symphony Orchestra conductor and music director, Mark Russell Smith.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues on The Cities.

- [Announcer] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, a proud supporter of WQPT, has been serving Quad City families since 1889.

They now have livestream capabilities for viewing your loved one's funeral or memorial service.

- [Narrator] At IHMVCU, we've always been here for you.

You are and always will be our top priority.

We care about your financial and physical health.

And we are here.

IHMVCU is a proud supporter of WQPT.