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Friday, October 18, 2013

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Rocketship schools' growth could be slowed by legal ruling



Education Headlines

Friday, October 18, 2013

Black Oak, Twain Harte merger is discussed

Black Oak Elementary and Twain Harte Middle schools, which operate on the same campus, could soon become one school again. Twain-Harte Long Barn Union School District's Board of Trustees on Tuesday directed Superintendent Jeff Winfield to look into combining the schools.

Newport-Mesa launches program aimed at avoiding special ed lawsuits

Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s special education program has introduced a new process that school officials hope will encourage parents and the district to talk out their differences before resorting to legal action.

County education leader critiques Common Core

A trustee with the Orange County Board of Education has voiced concerns about new state standards being implemented at California schools during a gathering of local Tea Party activists.

Announcing his departure, Sacramento schools chief recalls highs and lows

Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said the toughest moment in his tenure at Sacramento City Unified came when he talked to the parents of a critically injured child in a Sacramento emergency room. Raymond, 53, recalled the tragedy Thursday when he formally announced his decision to leave the district so he and his family could return to their home city of Boston.

U.S. flag ban: Federal appeals court struggles with Morgan Hill school's Cinco de Mayo incident

Stuck between preserving order at public schools and students' free speech rights, a federal appeals court on Thursday struggled over whether a South Bay high school overstepped three years ago when it ordered some students to turn their American-flag adorned shirts inside out during a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Rocketship schools' growth could be slowed by legal ruling

Rocketship Education, which has opened nine public elementary schools in seven years, may find its lightning-speed velocity forced to decelerate.

West Contra Costa school district pledges better communication with bond oversight committee

West Contra Costa school trustees took a step Wednesday evening to improve communication with a district school bond oversight committee, but committee leaders remained skeptical that the effort will be sufficient.

LAUSD board president Vladovic facing censure motion

Los Angeles Unified board member Tamar Galatzan on Thursday released an unprecedented motion asking the board to censure its president, Richard Vladovic, who has been accused of harassment and intimidation by two district employees.

L.A. Unified considers slower iPad rollout

Superintendent John Deasy is on board with a plan that would extend by a year a $1-billon school tablet program, after problems emerged during initial distribution.
Thursday, October 17, 2013

Conejo Valley school district studies possible bond measure

The Conejo Valley Unified School District is pressing ahead with a proposal to place a bond measure on the ballot in 2014 and commissioning more research on whether voters are likely to support it.

Shandon school district's superintendent has been fired

Shandon Joint Unified School District lost one leader and gained another in less than 24 hours this week as school leaders remain tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the termination of district Superintendent Rodney Wallace.

Teacher lauded for shielding kids when intruder burst in

A middle-school teacher has been credited with protecting her students after a man, bleeding and believed to be under the influence of drugs, burst into her classroom and ordered everyone to the floor.

Talbert Middle School pilot program emphasizes science, technology

Teachers and administrators at Samuel E. Talbert Middle School are tapping into new technology this year to prepare students for a new statewide student assessment system that will eventually incorporate Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

Cosumnes Oaks students use energy-efficient house as learning laboratory

No one lives in rHouse, which has a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry closet and a garage. Instead, the house is a living laboratory and classroom for students in the school’s Architectural Design and Engineering Academy. The living room, complete with an interactive smart board and rows of blue student chairs, acts as the classroom.

Ruth Asawa School of the Arts stuck in limbo

It is an immense and stately building in a prime location, occupying an entire city block near San Francisco City Hall. Not surprisingly, its owner - the city school district - has big plans for 135 Van Ness Ave.

Oakley Union superintendent announces retirement

After 10 years as the district's top administrator, 59-year-old Superintendent Rick Rogers announced Tuesday that he's retiring. But the school board tonight is expected to approve an addendum to his contract so Rogers can continue through 2014-15 as interim superintendent during which he will forego his salary.

Orinda school district considers use of Pine Grove funds

The future home of the Orinda school district is starting to take shape, as a task force of parents and district staffers continues to gather community input on how land sale proceeds can best be put to use.

Freedburg: Potential weaknesses in new school funding law demand attention

There are great expectations that the historic – and necessary – reforms of California’s outdated and opaque school financing system signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown this summer will translate into improved student performance. However, there are several potential weaknesses in the law that could threaten its ability to produce the results Gov. Brown has in mind.

Sac City Unified chief Raymond to leave district in December

Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jonathan Raymond will resign his post and leave at the end of December, the school district said Wednesday.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Simi Valley enrollment a fuzzy issue in school board recall effort

In the Simi Valley Unified School District, which faces the possible recall of two of its five board members, interdistrict transfers have become a key issue for recall proponents. But because of the way transfers are tracked, the magnitude of the problem is unclear.

Two Lodi Unified campuses could become magnet sites

Lodi Unified officials unveiled plans Tuesday to convert Parklane and Sutherland elementary schools into K-6 campuses, proposing two magnet schools that will focus on science and organizational skills.

Holman to leave interim Stockton USD post

Eric Holman will step down as interim chief of Stockton Unified's police department Oct. 30, less than two months after he replaced retired Chief Jim West.

Alisal students rank high in algebra

When it comes to math, Alisal High students seem to have solved a complicated equation. Despite the "demographic challenges" administrators talk about - a high percentage of low-income, English-learner students - math students at the east Salinas school are outperforming almost all of the high schools in Monterey County.

Enrollment on the rise in Marin schools

The county Office of Education released enrollment numbers for the 2013-14 school year Tuesday, showing that all but one of Marin's school districts have more students this year than they did to start last school year, continuing a trend that is causing classrooms to overflow

Desert Sands Unified shifts from at-large voting to avoid lawsuit

To avoid an expensive lawsuit that claims racial inequality, the Desert Sands Unified School District board plans to change the way its members are elected, forcing one current member off the five-member board.