No, not about the fact that 30 of his colleagues have been sent to jail during his 40 year tenure. According to Wikipedia,
“Between 1972 and 2009, a total of 30 Chicago aldermen were indicted and convicted of federal crimes such as bribery, extortion, embezzlement, conspiracy, mail fraud and income tax evasion. Three additional aldermen were indicted for similar offenses but two died before federal prosecutors could bring them to trial and one, Anthony Laurino (39th) was too sick to stand trial.”
Not about the fact that he operates a lucrative law practice that specializes in property tax appeals while chairing
For principals in Highland Park and Mount Washington, the first day of classes were a time to welcome back students and face new challenges.
8 Sept 2011 - After only one full day of classes, principals of several local elementary schools said they are already facing the challenges presented by the nearly $408 million in cuts made by the Los Angeles Unified School District Last spring.
For Juan Gonzalez, principal of Garvanza Elementary School, the district's budget crisis meant the elimination of the school's supervisors, who were responsible for monitoring student behavior during lunch and recess hours.
"Today was the first rude awakening point," according to Gonzalez, who said he ended up spending two-and-a-half hours supervising students himself.
Gonzalez joked that the day's extreme heat, which touched 102 degrees, played a key role in slowing down the normally rambunctious elementary school students
"The heat definitely slowed them down," he said. "We just don't have the staff to supervise properly right now."
Marco Nava, principal of Annandale Elementary School, said a lack of supervisors was also felt on his campus.
Godwin's Law states that whoever compares his or her opponent / opponent's actions to Hitler (or Nazis) loses -- it's automatic disqualification. Or at least, that's one of several versions of the law and the corollaries that have arisen since the law was first developed. Alas, teacher blogger Gary Rubenstein got caught up in his analysis of how reformers overstate the research teacher effectiveness and went down the Hitler / Nazi road. But this is still education so it went no further than that. Rubenstein email apology, and Michelle Rhee's response, are below, via Whitney Tilson.
Dear Michelle,
I'm not sure if you even know about this, but I'd like to apologize for something I wrote on my blog last month. I've copied Whitney on this. He and I have been engaging in a friendly debate about ed reform for about two
Please call your congressman today and ask him/her to vote NO on HR 2218 (see press release below). This bill is called the Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools bill, but we believe that it only serves to empower charter school operators and not parents or students. Look at the list of endorsers if you doubt who is behind this.
PURE and Parents Across America have taken a position against HR 2218.
Because the vote is happening today, you need to keep your message short and strong. Parents do not want this bill – we want Congress to concentrate on help for all of our schools. We need to monitor the charter schools that exist now, not add more. Too many of the charter schools we have now are
All local, council, district, and region PTAs must register to receive their Official PTA® Kit. The incoming 2011–2012 PTA president or other authorized PTA leader must fill out the registration form to select the preferred shipping address and date for the kit. The order form will be available through September 16 and kits will start shipping weekly in late June.
The National PTA® Official Back to School Kit is available exclusively to PTAs in good standing.
| Register for kit delivery |
For more details, read the kit FAQs.
Please note: The address units provide on the kit registration form will be used one time only, for the specific purpose of shipping the National PTA Official Back to School kit. Units still must complete all change-of-officer/address paperwork for the state PTA.
You will receive a confirmation e-mail soon after registering. If you do not receive a confirmation, please check your spam filters or junk mailboxes. If you still don't have a confirmation please e-mail info@pta.org.
You see a lot of lists this time of year--lists about homework, parent-teacher relationships, and the ever-popular "advice for new teachers" (even though what novice teachers want most is a free day off because the boiler blew up). Most advice lists are upbeat and didactic. My list is decidedly not perky, but here are some less-obvious things I think new teachers need to know.
#1) Listen to advice (your mentor, teachers in the lounge, books for new teachers)-- but trust your gut. Your goal is becoming an authentic teacher, one with autonomy, mastery and purpose. You will inevitably build a practice by stealing ideas from hundreds of people. The concepts you retain and embed into daily work are those that align and resonate with your core beliefs about education, which will change over time. Learn to trust the little interior voice that tells you what "works" for your colleague--her behavior rewards system based on Jolly Ranchers, say-- may be totally wrong for you, in spite of the fact that her class walks quietly in a straight line
(CNN) -- Some parents and teachers have no respect for each other. A few apparently hate the other side. Both sides started firing off heated comments after Ron Clark, a teacher who started his own school, wrote an essay for CNN.com asking parents to work with teachers for the sake of their kids.
Clark wrote it was insulting to teachers when after they tell a parent their child did something wrong the parent asks the student, "Did you do that?"
Bandynose disagreed, writing, "I will never take the word of a teacher or any adult at face value when it comes to my kids. I will ask them straight out if it's true. If they say no, I'm going to ask you
California Parent Center
College of Education
San Diego State University
Visit our Website: parent.sdsu.edu
To:
Administrators, Teachers, Title I Coordinators, Parent Involvement Staff, Counselors, Parent Leaders and School Site Council Members
From:
Jeana Preston, Director – California Parent Center
College of Education, San Diego State University
Subject:
Closing the Achievement Gap:
Using Parent Involvement as a School Improvement Strategy
The California Parent Center (CPC) is a state level technical assistance center for organizing school, family,
and community partnerships to support increased student achievement. CPC provides regional trainings for
(P-12) educators and parent leaders at schools across the state. CPC also provides a professional development certificate for parent coordinators, liaisons, and those who supervise them.
All trainings:CPC also provides assistance to individual districts with planning, training and resources to implement successful family involvement programs at schools.
- Use the new California Department of Education (CDE) Single Plan for Student Achievement template and resources for parental involvement
- Refocus and enhance existing family involvement programs
- Use a research-based partnership approach and best practices
- Meet Title I requirements for districts to provide training for staff and parents
- Are a compliant use of Title I funds for parental involvement and professional development funds, school improvement funds and other grants with parental involvement components.
LEVEL I-TWO-DAY REGIONAL TRAININGS
“Closing the Achievement Gap”
Using Parent Involvement to Increase Student Success and Academic Achievement
Designed for Educators and Parent LeadersDate: December 7-8, 2011
Location: Orange County Department of Education | Costa Mesa CA
Click here to download registration formDate: February 22-23, 2012
Location: National University | Sacramento CA
Click here to download registration formDate: March 27-28, 2012
Location: San Diego State University | San Diego CA
Click here to download registration formDate: April 24-25, 2012
Location: Riverside County Office of Education | Riverside CA
Click here to download registration formLEVEL II-PARENT LIAISON CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Parent Liaison Professional Development Certificate Program
Designed especially for those who coordinate or supervise parent involvement programsDate: May 8-9, 2012
Location: National University | Costa Mesa CA
click here to download registration form
For More Registration Information Please Go To On Our Website:parent.sdsu.edu
For Information on Individual Trainings for your District:
Please contact Melissa Popovich for available dates and more information
619-594-4756, mpopovich@projects.sdsu.edu
