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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy to Have Been a “Friend of Bill” Cavala | California Progress Report


Happy to Have Been a “Friend of Bill” Cavala | California Progress Report


Happy to Have Been a “Friend of Bill” Cavala


By Frank D. Russo
My friend Bill Cavala has died. Sunday morning, I received a phone call and was stunned. When I got over the initial shock, I asked the caller who should write an article and he said “Frank, you should.”
This is a daunting task—how do you encapsulate the rich life of a real character, an active doer of politics who made a difference in the outcomes of so many campaigns and who at the same time was a sagacious observer of the human condition?    Doctor Cavala was a professional, an academic, analytical and scientific in his advice, and yet an emotional and passionate politico. Someone who enjoyed skewering his political opponents and yet had a soft spot for their frailties.  And who made so many of his barbed points with humor.
You can read the first, no doubt, of many fine articles about Bill Cavala.  There is an obituary in today’s San Francisco Chronicle placed lovingly by family members that gives details about his life’s history. There’s a wonderful piece at Calbuzz that captures much of Bill’s essence, and used the photo of him that I cropped for these pages (immediately reminding me of how difficult it was to find a picture of him when I started the California Progress Report. He kept out of the limelight.)  And theSacramento Bee, often the target of many of his diatribes, pays respect to him and the imprint he made on California’s history in hundreds of campaigns.
Assemblymember Pedro Nava said it best when I advised him of the sad news:  “Bill was a generous man. He willingly shared his experience and insight with me, did it without hesitation-and without the expectation of payback-exceedingly rare these days. We would all be well served if we followed his example of mission before ambition.”

Schooling low-income parents in helping students - latimes.com

Schooling low-income parents in helping students - latimes.com:

"Schooling low-income parents in helping students

Educators have long believed that low-income students would soar if only they had the academic advantage of an engaged parent. It's time to give struggling parents the strategies they need."

For a succinct vision of the role parents can play in their children's education, a useful starting point is a tale of three mothers and an eggplant, told by Phyllis Hunter, former director of reading for Houston's public schools.

Hunter's first mother wheels her shopping cart down the produce aisle of a supermarket, where her kindergartner spots an eggplant and asks what it is. The mother shushes her child, ignoring the question. The second mother, faced with the same question, responds curtly, "That's an eggplant, but we don't eat it."

The third mother seizes the moment: "That's an eggplant," she says enthusiastically. "It's one of the few purple vegetables." She picks it up and encourages her child to put it on the scale. "Oh, look, it's about two pounds!" she says. "And it costs $1.99 a pound. Let's round it to $2. That would cost just about $4. That's a bit pricey, but you like veal Parmesan, and eggplant Parmesan is delicious too. You'll love it. Let's buy one, take it home, cut it open. We'll make a dish together."

Hunter's parable makes clear why an attentive, engaged parent is one of life's greatest academic advantages. It also makes clear why educators have long believed that low-income

Parents in a JAM 










ED I am

I am ED
I am ED
ED I am

That ED-I-am!
That ED-I-am!
I do not like
that ED-I-am!

Do you like
Parents in a JAM?

I do not like them,
ED-I-am.
I do not like
Parents in a JAM.

Would you like them
here or there?

I would not like them
here or there.
I would not like them
anywhere.
I do not like
Parents in a JAM.
I do not like them,
ED-I-am.

Would you like them
in a house?
Would you like them
with a mouse?

I do not like them
in a house.
I do not like them
with a mouse.
I do not like them
here or there.
I do not like them
anywhere.
I do not like Parents in a JAM.
I do not like them, ED-I-am.

Would you teach them
in a box?
Would you teach them
with a fox?

Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not teach them here or there.
I would not teach them anywhere.
I would not teach Parents in a JAM.
I do not like them, ED-I-am.

Would you? Could you?
In a car?
Teach them! Teach them!
Here they are.

I would not,
could not,
in a car.

You may like them.
You will see.
You may like them
in a tree!

I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be!

I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like Parents in a JAM.
I do not like them, ED-I-am.

A train! A train!
A train! A train!
Could you, would you,
on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! ED! Let me be!

I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not teach them with a mouse.
I will not teach them in a house.
I will not teach them here or there.
I will not teach them anywhere.
I do not teach Parents in a JAM.
I do not like them, ED-I-am.

Say!
In the dark?
Here in the dark!
Would you, could you, in the dark?

I would not, could not,
in the dark.

Would you, could you,
in the rain?

I would not, could not, in the rain.
Not in the dark. Not on a train.
Not in a car. Not in a tree.
I do not like them, ED, you see.
Not in a house. Not in a box.
Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.
I will not teach them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!

You do not like
Parents in a JAM?

I do not
like them,
ED-I-am.

Could you, would you
with a goat?

I would not,
could not,
with a goat!

Would you, could you,
on a boat?

I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not teach them in the rain.
I will not teach them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not teach them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them ANYWHERE

I do not like
Parents in a JAM!

I do not like them,
ED-I-am.

You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.

ED!
If you will let me be,
I will try them.
You will see.

Say!
I like Parents in a JAM!
I do! I like them, ED-I-am!
And I would teach them in a boat.
And I would teach them with a goat...

And I will teach them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good, so good, you see!

So I will teach them in a box.
And I will teach them with a fox.
And I will teach them in a house.
And I will teach them with a mouse.
And I will teach them here and there.
Say! I will teach them ANYWHERE!

I do so like
Parents in a JAM!
Thank you!
Thank you,

ED-I-am!
This an edited version of Dr. Seuss's Copyrighted Classic Green Eggs and a Ham





Dr. Seuss Biography


Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904. After attending Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he began a career in advertising. His advertising cartoons, featuring Quick, Henry, the Flit!, appeared in several leading American magazines.

Dr. Seuss's first children's book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, hit the market in 1937, and the world of children's literature was changed forever! In 1957, Seuss's The Cat in the Hat became the prototype for one of Random House's best-selling series, Beginner Books. This popular series combined engaging stories with outrageous illustrations and playful sounds to teach basic reading skills.

Delve deeper into the world of Dr. Seuss with an Author Study.
Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped kids learn to read.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Seuss was the author and illustrator of 44 children's books, some of which have been made into audiocassettes, animated television specials, and videos for children of all ages. Even after his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss continues to be the best-selling author of children's books in the world.





Creating Carver's Future- one student at a time Support Carver High School


George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science







Support George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science

Creating Carver's Future- one student at a time


January, 2010


Carver's Future





Contributing to Carver




Greetings!


As we say good by to 2009 and prepare to ring in a new decade, we want to thank you for your ongoing interest and dedication to the first public Waldorf methods high school in the state. We have a rare opportunity to share our "best kept secret" in Sacramento, and we ask for your help in spreading the good word.  We offer you a unique way to help support the growth and development of George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science.

Sincerely,

The Faculty, Staff and Advisory Board at Carver high school 



CREATING CARVER'S FUTURE - ONE STUDENT AT A TIME


www.kids-grow.org


Being part of pioneering a school affords opportunities - for students and their families--not available elsewhere.  As the first Waldorf-inspired public high school in the country, Carver is making history.  With the overarching theme of social justice, Carver is helping our students in becoming leaders in the world as it should be. 


Yet all this potential is at risk due to the continuing State and school district budget crisis.  We do not have the same luxury of time to develop our enrollment the other six small district high schools had. We need to show strong, rapid progress in enrollment.


We have an immediate opportunity and need to take advantage of it before Open Enrollment begins in mid-January for our next school year.  We can reach over 330,000 listeners of Capitol Public Radio in the Sacramento area with 120 invitations to consider Carver for their children.  It is a proven outreach strategy that has worked for both public and private schools.  We need your support to make this happen.


EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS - TWICE


In this challenging economic time, we all have less to contribute to even the best of causes.  Knowing this, a core group including every member of the faculty and several anonymous donors, are stretching themselves to reward your willingness to contribute.  They will match every dollar that you donate until we reach our goal of $2,200. 


In addition, our generous donor Bob and Chris Harris will help your gift add to your own Holiday festivities.  For each donation of $30 or more, you will receive a bottle of their hand-crafted cabernet sauvignon.


Tax-deductible donations can be made to Kids-Grow.  Donations can be sent to the high school office 10101 Systems Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95827.  Please contact if you wish more information or have suggestions on other ways to make this happen.



George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science

10101 Systems Parkway
Sacramento, California 95827

Please send your tax deductible donations to  Kids-Grow
c/o George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science



Local News | Online service to match students with scholarships | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News | Online service to match students with scholarships | Seattle Times Newspaper


Online service to match students with scholarships

Touted as the eHarmony for scholarships, thewashboard.org, an online service set to launch this month will custom match state-based scholarship providers with student-scholarship seekers who either plan to attend college in the state or who are Washington residents planning to go to college elsewhere.
Seattle Times staff reporter
There are scholarship funds across the Puget Sound that some years can't give money away.
Others struggle to get enough applications to make the competition worthwhile.
Take Soroptimist International of Seattle Metropolitan, a women's group that each year awards a number of small scholarships to single mothers who want to go back to college or attend for the first time.
Pat Griffith, the organization's award chair, tries to spread word about the modest grants through community colleges and women's centers — but each year is surprised by how few women end up applying.
"We have a hard time giving money away, sometimes," Griffith said.
Soroptimist recently joined a free scholarship clearinghouse — thewashboard.org — that should make it easier for the organization and others like it to reach a wider field of college-bound applicants. Touted as the eHarmony for scholarships, the online service is set to launch early in January, just as students begin what at times can be a frantic search for money to pay

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - The House’s improved ed bill


EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - The House’s improved ed bill


Unions bristle when blamed for failed schools, and they are certainly right that parents and school administrators should share responsibility.



The House’s improved ed bill

The education reform bill unveiled by the state House of Representatives makes fewer concessions to teachers' unions than its Senate counterpart. Unfortunately, the House bill lacks one promising provision in the Senate's: the creation of in-district charter schools that do not require union approval.
Unions bristle when blamed for failed schools, and they are certainly right that parents and school administrators should share responsibility.But it is increasingly obvious that union contract provisions, especially regarding dismissal of ineffective teachers and length of school days, are limiting the chances of students in low-performing schools and districts. The Senate at first seemed to understand what was at stake and embraced the notion that school superintendents or the education commissioner could force changes in teachers’ contracts. But the Senate bowed to the unions’ insistence on imposing a lengthy labor arbitration

Schools census reveals surprise | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Schools census reveals surprise | freep.com | Detroit Free Press


Enrollment news is usually grim for metro Detroit schools, and this year is no different -- with area districts losing nearly 15,000 students. But in this era of declining birth rates, increased competition and people abandoning Michigan, some districts are bucking the trend.



Unaudited enrollment figures posted on the state Center for Educational Performance and Information Web site highlight many of the declines, including the loss of nearly 9,000 students in Detroit Public Schools, which now has 84,607 students.
But it's a different story in Chippewa Valley Schools, the Macomb County district that has seen its enrollment surge in each of the last five years. The district gained 242 students in the last year, to a total of 15,896 students.
Chippewa Valley has been growing at a fast clip in its northern end, because that's where the space was to build new homes. But now some of the residents who had moved north are moving back to other parts of the district. Consequently, growth is happening across the district.
At a time when state aid is being cut, the growth helps, Chippewa Valley Superintendent Mark Deldin said.
"When we have modest enrollment increases, that helps to mitigate some of the funding

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - Colorado's first all-girls public school coming to Denver


EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - Colorado's first all-girls public school coming to Denver:


"Following a growing nationwide trend toward single-gender classroom education, the first all-girls public school in Colorado will open next year in Denver.

Colorado's first all-girls public school coming to Denver
Following a growing nationwide trend toward single-gender classroom education, the first all-girls public school in Colorado will open next year in Denver.

In 2002, only 11 U.S. public schools offered single-gender classrooms. Today, at least 547 public schools offer single-sex classes, according to the National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. At least 91 of those schools are single-gender schools.

The surge comes three years after a federal rule said single-sex classrooms weren't discriminatory and as emerging research suggested that girls' and boys' brains develop differently."

EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - Junior ROTC 'more than a class' to teens


EducationNews.org - A Leading Global News Source - Junior ROTC 'more than a class' to teens


Junior ROTC 'more than a class' to teens


Junior ROTC 'more than a class' to teens

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Before enrolling in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Asheville High School, William Michaels says he struggled to keep his anger under control.

Now, the high school senior says, he doesn't get in trouble much anymore, thanks to leadership skills shaped by Junior ROTC. He spends much of the school day — plus hours after school, some weekends and part of summer vacation — in the building where program students work out, hit the books and shoot air rifles.


"It's more than a class. It's like a giant support group," says Michaels, 17.


An increasing number of teenagers are getting early exposure to military life through their high schools. Enrollment jumped 5% this year to 513,297 students in Junior ROTC programs, according to combined Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force statistics. That far outpaced the program's growth from 2005 to 2008, those statistics show.


The growth is driven in part by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which directed the Pentagon to add high schools to the program. The goal was to have 3,700 programs by 2020. There are about 3,400, according to combined military statistics.
Students may soon be able to get involved even younger. A program modeled on the Army's Junior ROTC program is 

Year in review: Obama's K-12 policy doesn't change much - USATODAY.com


Year in review: Obama's K-12 policy doesn't change much - USATODAY.com


For the nation's K-12 schools, 2009 may well go down as the year when everything changed but little happened.
A new president promised a fresh start but angered many in even his own party by polishing his predecessor's apple.


Schools nationwide closed in fear of a pandemic that has proven mild. And even as recession-related budget cuts forced thousands of teacher layoffs, a modest federal grant with a catchy name consumed educators' attention nationwide.

Swine flu fears
After the federal Centers for Disease Control and Preventiontold schools last spring to be vigilant in the face of swine flu, or H1N1, more than 700 schools closed in April and May alone. Federal officials later said schools should close only if "high numbers" of students are absent with flu-like symptoms. At the pandemic's height in mid-October, 949 schools closed in one week, the U.S. Department of Education said.

No Child Left Behind
Obama administration officials promised a new, "forward-thinking" approach to education. Public opinion had slipped for No Child Left Behind, President Bush's signature education reform law, which requires schools to test most children in

National Board Certified Teachers could get bonuses | Get Schooled

National Board Certified Teachers could get bonuses | Get Schooled:


"This is good news for the state’s National Board Certified teachers: Some key folks in the General Assembly want to restore their bonuses.

Some states are debating whether a salary boost for National Board Certified teachers is a good investment, suggesting that bonuses might better go to teachers with proven track records of raising student achievement rather than to teachers who earn the certification. Sometimes, they are one and the same. Sometimes, they are not.

Georgia has been a leader in urging teachers to seek certification ever since ex Gov. Roy Barnes became impressed with the program. (He continues to be a national champion of it.)"

A civil discourse: Choice, charters and money | Get Schooled

A civil discourse: Choice, charters and money | Get Schooled:


"I received this e-mail from a reader named Nate and thought it was provocative on the issues of choice and charters. I am posting Nate’s original note to me, my response and his follow-up. (Pour a cup of coffee as this is long.) He gave me clearance to put it all up here for our discussion.

After reading an Op-Ed piece that you posted in a recent paper titled “School boards: Charter school law violates constitution” I thought to myself… It would be good if an organization like the GA Public Policy Foundation or some similar unbiased organization could publish a paper that details in something akin to layman’s terms, how education funding works within the context of Charter Schools, and other choice legislation in GA. They could highlight a few scenarios:"

Fairfax County may cut back full-day kindergarten - washingtonpost.com


Fairfax County may cut back full-day kindergarten - washingtonpost.com:

"More than a decade after the Fairfax School Board decided to bring full-day kindergarten to the county's 139 elementary schools, nearly a third of them are still waiting for the longer school day. Progress has sputtered and stalled in recent years as the economy soured, and now the board might reverse course.

Fairfax Superintendent Jack D. Dale will unveil a budget proposal for the region's largest school system Jan. 7. An early list of potential cuts compiled by school officials this fall shows that rolling back full-day kindergarten, from 101 schools to 32 that serve the county's poorest communities, could save $13 million and help bridge a $176 million shortfall."

Strategy - Faculty - The Case of the Vanishing Full-Time Professor - NYTimes.com


Strategy - Faculty - The Case of the Vanishing Full-Time Professor - NYTimes.com:

"If you’ve written a few five-figure tuition checks or taken on 10 years’ of debt, you probably think you’re paying to be taught by full-time professors. But it’s entirely possible that most of your teachers are freelancers.

In 1960, 75 percent of college instructors were full-time tenured or tenure-track professors; today only 27 percent are. The rest are graduate students or adjunct and contingent faculty — instructors employed on a per-course or yearly contract basis, usually without benefits and earning a third or less of what their tenured colleagues make. The recession means their numbers are growing."

A teaching model that would make Da Vinci proud - latimes.com


A teaching model that would make Da Vinci proud - latimes.com:

"The Annihilator is a death plunge of a roller coaster that begins by dropping the rider through a wide, fast funnel. It swooshes down a gut-wrenching series of S-curves, flies through a 360-degree loop, slides down a straightaway to another funnel and then -- this is the moment of greatest terror -- free-falls into a basket.

Alas, thrill seekers, you will never ride the Annihilator.

It stands about 4 feet tall and it's made entirely of paper. Only marbles ride the Annihilator, which is intertwined with another paper roller coaster, the Epic Fail, so named because high school teacher Mario Rodriguez seemed unable to test it without having the marble fly off the track"

USC offers America 101 for foreign students - latimes.com


USC offers America 101 for foreign students - latimes.com:

"The topic was baseball and the class members, foreign graduate students recently arrived in the United States to attend USC, were befuddled.

Not only were they struggling to follow the instructor's litany of batting and pitching rules, they were mystified by the title of the hallowed championship games. Why is it called the World Series, one Chinese student wondered aloud, if all the teams in it are from North America?

Instructor Edward Roth was both taken aback and pleased. The grandiose title might reflect America's arrogance about its national pastime, he acknowledged, but he also praised the question. It reflected the type of cross-cultural debate he encourages in a course aimed at helping these newcomers from overseas adjust to life in Los Angeles."

Legislation will take hard look at schools


Legislation will take hard look at schools:

"State Sen. Jeffrey E. Piccola, R-Dauphin, yesterday said he'll introduce legislation to take a firmer line with low-performing school districts, warning that may involve closing some schools and dissolving some districts.

Mr. Piccola, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said other options include merit pay for teachers and administrators, converting struggling schools into charter schools and bringing in outside management groups.

Some of the language reflects the U.S. Department of Education's get-tough stance in inviting states to compete for $4 billion in Race to the Top funds."

School reforms — the beginning, not the end | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies


School reforms — the beginning, not the end | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies:

"Our state and our schools need to be reinvented. The governor and Legislature are to be commended for making progress on school reform by striking a deal on landmark legislative ideas that have been kicking around the state capitol for a decade. Clearly, the up to $400 million of “Race to the Top,” U.S. Department of Education dollars provided the right amount of inducement to help strike the deal. The legislation expands the number of high-quality charter schools — including two new e-learning “cyber schools” — raises the dropout age from 16 to 18, and gives the state stronger authority to take over 5 percent of the state's academically worst failing schools."

KHSD board says no to Obama charter school - Bakersfield.com


KHSD board says no to Obama charter school - Bakersfield.com:

"Kern High School District trustees on Wednesday unanimously shot down a petition for a proposed charter school named after our nation's president.

All five board members rejected the idea of Barack H. Obama Leadership Academy based on district input that it did not meet California Education Code standards for the establishment of a charter school.

During a special board meeting, trustees commented that the petition was 'inherently weak,' 'fiscally irresponsible,' 'ill conceived,' 'not feasible' and 'not thought through.' District staff outlined its findings and analysis in a 15-page report."

School districts reluctantly join Race to the Top: Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley sign up for federal education reform - ContraCostaTimes.com


School districts reluctantly join Race to the Top: Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley sign up for federal education reform - ContraCostaTimes.com:

"WATSONVILLE - In spite of uncertainty about mandates and funding, Santa Cruz County's two largest school districts are signing on to the latest education reform plan.
The County Office of Education also has signed up for Race to the Top, a $4.3 billion federal program aimed at improving student achievement.

Districts must signal their intention to participate by today and have until Jan. 8 to sign an agreement with the state. More than 700 of the state's approximately 1,000 public school districts had joined the effort by Wednesday.

If California wins a Race to the Top grant - and in the competition between states, there's no guarantee - school districts would get a cut of the money in exchange for implementing new academic standards and accountability measures, including controversial teacher evaluations."

Top News - Top 10 ed-tech stories of 2009: No. 1


Top News - Top 10 ed-tech stories of 2009: No. 1:

"Schools' use of digital textbooks began long before 2009, but it was a watershed year for this emerging trend in education.

At the K-12 level, California and Texas--two bellwether states for textbook purchasing--opened the door for local school systems to adopt digital texts. In higher education, inspired by the introduction of a Kindle electronic reader designed specifically for textbooks, several colleges and universities announced pilot projects to see how well the technology meets students' needs.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this past spring launched a"

Capitol Alert: California given high marks for charter schools


Capitol Alert: California given high marks for charter schools


California, Minnesota and the District of Columbia are the only school systems to receive "A" grades on their receptivity to charter schools from the Washington-based Center for Education Reform, a pro-charter school organization.
The state-by-state evaluation was released in response to Race to the Top, President Barack Obama'seducation reform initiative that includes more emphasis on charter schools, which are public schools that operate independently of school district administration. Its release also coincides with the stateAssembly's debate this week on how to qualify California for Race to the Top grants, in which expansion of charter schools plays a central role.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, favors lifting a state cap on charter schools but teacher unions are generally reluctant. But without loosening or lifting the cap, California may be ineligible for the new federal grants.
"Every state's education law has certain legal components that play key roles in deciding whether that state does what its law's title suggests