Saturday, August 31, 2013

8-31-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:






Special Master Adamowski’s Failing Grade in Windham
As if the term “Special Master” wasn’t bad enough, the fact that Steven Adamowski’s insulting, arrogant and undemocratic style is moving Windham Schools in the wrong direction makes the whole situation truly offense. In a very enlightening article in the Reminder News, reporter Melanie Savage provides a window in to the devastation that Adamowski is […]The post Special Master Adamowski’s Failing G

YESTERDAY

Need a TFA recruit? New Haven that will be $2,500… Windham you’ll have to kick in $4,000
In 2011, Teach for America brought in $306.8 million in revenue, up 14 percent from the year before. TFA brags that only 20 percent of their money goes to fundraising and administration. As of two years ago, Wendy Koop, TFA’s CEO and co-founder, pulled down $448,000 in salary and benefits.  Her co-founder, Matthew Kramer made […]The post Need a TFA recruit? New Haven that will be $2,500… Windham y
Malloy/Pryor’s “School Turnaround Office” loses another “major player.”
As criticism builds about Governor Malloy, Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor and the State Department of Education’s “School Turnaround Office,” the latest word is that Gabrielle Ramos, the Broad Foundation Fellow hired by Steven Pryor to help lead the turnaround operation, is leaving the State Department of Education effective immediately. Ramos has been one of […]The post Malloy/Pryor’s “Sc

AUG 29

Connecticut Teachers: If you think it is bad now….just wait
Arthur Goldstein is a teacher at Francis Lewis High School in Queens, New York where he teaches English language learners. He has a great blog called NYC Educator. Today, Diane Ravitch posted a letter that Arthur Goldstein sent to his colleagues after attending a meeting on New York’s new teacher evaluation system. The system in […]The post Connecticut Teachers: If you think it is bad now….just wa
Think Bridgeport’s TFA issue is bad, try Windham’s
As reported yesterday and reprinted in today’s Washington Post, thanks to a deal between Paul Vallas and Nate Snow, the Executive Director for the Connecticut Chapter of Teach for America, Bridgeport hired another 31 TFA recruits this week.  The contract Vallas signed last spring committed the City of Bridgeport to hire 125 mostly out-of-state TFA […]The post Think Bridgeport’s TFA issue is bad, t

AUG 28

Bridgeport overlooks trained Connecticut residents to hire 31 new Teach for America recruits
Last Monday night, Paul Vallas, Bridgeport’s faux superintendent of schools revealed that he had hired another 31 Teach for America recruits to staff Bridgeport’s schools this year.   Few, if any of the recruits come from Connecticut and none went a Connecticut college or university to become a teacher. Meanwhile in Windham, Malloy’s Special Master, Steven […]The post Bridgeport overlooks trained

AUG 27

Thomas Scarice: Superintendent of Schools and leading voice for public education
Thomas Scarice is the Superintendent of Schools in Madison, Connecticut.  Last January, Diane Ravitch, the nation’s leading voice for public education, added Superintendent Scarice to champion of public education honor roll for his leadership in working in bringing together the Madison school board, teachers, parents and the local community. Rather than accepting the regimented, dictatorial, […]Th
Ring bells, but ignore Sheff!!!
Governor Malloy’s shocking approach to the 50th Anniversary of MLK Jr.’s speech:  Ring Bells, but ignore Sheff.  In preparation for the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech, Governor Malloy’s PR operation has kicked into high gear issuing a press release in which he asks “Residents & Organizations To Ring […]The post Ring bells, but ignore Sheff!!! appeared
Our Orwellian education policy
Tag this one Slam, Dunk, Checkmate.” Here is Connecticut public education advocate Wendy Lecker’s latest commentary piece from the Stamford Advocate and Heart Media outlets.  It is another “must read” article in the on-going battle to reveal the truth about the education reform industry. “To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget […]The post Our Orwellian education polic

AUG 26

Malloy’s strange electoral strategy…
Maybe it is unquenchable desire to alienate key constituencies within the base of the Democratic Party. Or maybe it is just his feeling that he always knows best. But last week, in the contested race for the Mayor’s job in New Haven, Governor Malloy, the titular head of the Connecticut Democratic Party, endorsed the Democratic […]The post Malloy’s strange electoral strategy… appeared first on Wait
“The world of politics, power — and money” or “The man Gov. Malloy has on speed dial”
Wait, Can you run that by me again…? Over the weekend, three Connecticut Hearst Media Group reporters, Kate King, Neil Vigdor and Ken Dixon published a front-page story in the Stamford Advocate. Considering it was the last “real” weekend of the summer and the newspaper’s primary readership is in Stamford, most Connecticut residents might have […]The post “The world of politics, power — and money”
Mass Insight swaps out more consultants: Further reducing experience for CT Alliance Districts
As Connecticut’s Alliance Districts have become painfully aware, rather than utilize the tremendous expertise and experience within the Connecticut State Department of Education, Governor Malloy and his “Education Reform” Dream Team led by Commissioner Stefan Pryor decided to replace Connecticut experts with out-of-state, paid consultants to direct Connecticut’s “School Turnaround” program. As Wai