South Carolina Members Notified of NEA Trusteeship
Better late than never. This is page 4 from this month’s issue of Emphasis, the South Carolina Education Association’s member publication.
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Monday, May 17, 2010
South Carolina Members Notified of NEA Trusteeship | Intercepts
South Carolina Members Notified of NEA Trusteeship
Eduflack: Around the Edu-Horn, May 17, 2010
Around the Edu-Horn, May 17, 2010
When I first started this blog more than three years ago, the intent was to comment on how well the media was covering education policy issues. And while the content found on this site may deviate from that original mission, it is still very much a concern of dear ol' Eduflack.
I regularly try to refocus on this core mission, asking questions about whether the media is covering key issues, if the messaging is right, and how effective the engagement may be. Each day, I reflect on dozens of stories, announcements, and reports to see what might tickle my fancy for a particular post. Unfortunately, most of those items that tickle my fancy never make it onto the blog. There just isn't enough time in the day for me to write about everything I find of interest.
But all that time doesn't go to waste. Much of it gets posted up to my Twitter feed (@eduflack). I can't tell you how much I appreciate all those who follow me on Twitter, and how much I enjoy engaging with those of like
What's next for South Philly High? | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
What's next for South Philly High?
by Helen Gym on May 17 2010
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s almost impossible to believe that a story that first comes to public light with 30 kids getting beaten up in school can get worse over time, but in fact, that’s exactly what’s happened with the on-going fiasco at South Philadelphia High School.
Last week, South Philly High Principal LaGreta Brown abruptly resigned hours before a teacher vote of no-confidence and amid the finding that her Pennsylvania principal certification was inactive. The latter technicality capped a disastrous tenure for Brown.
Under her leadership, a violent and troubled school spun completely out of control. Prior to the violence on Dec. 3, 2009, when 30 Asian immigrant students were beaten inside and outside of school throughout the day, Asian community advocates – who had been tracking anti-Asian/anti-immigrant violence at the school for over a year – had raised alarms bells about Brown’s stewardship. Among them:
- Brown’s refusal to meet with community members about the school’s history,
- complaints from individual students and families regarding Brown’s failure to respond to violent incidents against them, and
- Brown’s alleged use of inflammatory language to describe services for
Bronx president urges no vote on teacher recruitment contract | GothamSchools
Bronx president urges no vote on teacher recruitment contract
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. called on the citywide school board to postpone or vote down a contract that would pay an outside group to recruit new teachers, saying today that it “does not make any sense” with impending layoffs.
The contract, which the Panel for Educational Policy will vote on at tomorrow’s meeting, would pay The New Teacher Project a maximum of $4.9 million to recruit and train New York City Teaching Fellows. In a statement sent to reporters, Diaz said the money should be used to stave off layoffs rather than bring in new teachers. If Diaz’s appointee votes against the contract, she’ll likely be joined by panel member Patrick Sullivan, who criticized the contract in the Daily News.
But Department of Education officials have said that new teachers will be needed to fill vacancies in areas like science and special education regardless of layoffs. To meet this anticipated need, the roughly 450 Teaching Fellows who will enter the job market this summer will only be certified in either of those two subjects.
The majority of them plan to work in special education and 100 will teach science. Of those with special
Fremont school board draws ire for postponing Harvey Milk Day recognition Education - ContraCostaTimes.com
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Sacramento Press / Thank you for your service, Wounded Warriors
Thank you for your service, Wounded Warriors
150 soldiers were introduced to sports designed specifically for individuals with disabilities, illnesses and injuries recently during a Thank You For Your Service event at the River Cats Independence Field.Brave soldiers who sustained disabilities while serving this nation and are now working to return to active duty or transition to civilian life will be introduced to sports and recreational opportunities specifically designed for individuals with disabilities.
It featured demonstrations and hands-on experience of U.S.Paralympics-sanctioned sports, including Basketball, Cycling, Swimming, Javelin, Shot-put, wheelchair softball, rock climbing and Discus
May Revision Reaction - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education)
May Revision Reaction - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education)
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Responds
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement in response to the release of Governor Schwarzenegger's May Revision (Outside Source) to the 2010-11 Budget:
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Responds
to Governor's May Budget Revision
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement in response to the release of Governor Schwarzenegger's May Revision (Outside Source) to the 2010-11 Budget:"While we are still working to analyze details of the Governor's proposal, it appears that the voter-approved guarantee for K-12 education funding does not seem to have been further reduced since the Governor's January budget proposal.
"However, I have grave concerns that child care for thousands of preschool age children will be eliminated. The Governor's plan cuts $1.45 billion in state-funded child care. This cut is yet another severe blow to poor- and middle-class working families who are struggling to provide for their families. Child care is a vital and essential element in the development of young minds, and to the ability of parents to work and contribute to the state's economy.
"California is long overdue in creating a stable, consistent funding scheme for K-12 public education. We delay funding allocations to schools; we break commitments to fund class-size reduction, summer school, nurses, counselors, school librarians, and a host of other support systems that play a role in the quality of our children's education. This failure to provide adequate funding is choking off our state's economic engine to recovery and our future."
Reputation Managment: Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Schools and Organizations �Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech
Reputation Managment: Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Schools and Organizations �Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech
Reputation Managment: Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Schools and Organizations
Reputation Managment: Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Schools and Organizations
I presented on Friday to a group of Communication Directors from various school divisions in our province. It’s always interesting to present to non-educators. I don’t pretend to know how they do their jobs but hopefully was able to articulate what social media is doing to communications in general and then specifically talk about what we’re doing here in Prairie South. The more I talk to others, the more fortunate I feel about working in a district that isn’t afraid to explore and consider how this shift in society can impact learning and communications.
My microphone ran out of batteries near the end so if you’re brave enough to stay till the end, you’ll hear my
My microphone ran out of batteries near the end so if you’re brave enough to stay till the end, you’ll hear my
The Quick and the Ed So how does one properly respond after a university president resigns by cell phone?
So how does one properly respond after a university president resigns by cell phone? (New York Times)
What in the bloody blue blazes? Joanne Jacobs parses the Arizona ethnic studies law. (Joanne Jacobs)
Should more cash-strapped school districts partner with for-profit EMOs? (National Journal)
Looking for in-depth research on charter schools and students with special needs?(Center on Reinventing Public Education)
After earning her college degree at age 94, what will she do for an encore? (San Francisco Chronicle)
Education Intelligence Agency Faux Tweets Edition
Faux Tweets Edition
I don't Twitter, but if I did, it might look something like this:
1) The White House supports the $23 billion edujobs bill, but it's tied to war appropriations and that doesn't sit well with theWashington Post.
2) The Associated Press reports one-third of college students need remedial math and reading. Statistically, these students shouldn't count as "high school graduates" until they complete such courses.
3) Slate has an interview with 2010 NEA Friend of Education Diane Ravitch about being wrong. Admitting past mistakes is a virtue,
Schools Matter: Lead and Learning: Detroit Public Schools
Lead and Learning: Detroit Public Schools
Does the current school reform agenda in Detroit (and the nation, for that matter) address any of the concerns raised in this article? I think not - it's just privatization, merit-pay for teachers, and firing lots of 'em (except for the newly-minted TFAers and their ilk). From the Detroit Free Press:
High lead levels hurt learning for DPS kids
More than half of students tested have poisoning history
BY TINA LAM and KRISTI TANNER-WHITE
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
More than half of the students tested in Detroit Public Schools have a history of lead poisoning, which affects brain function for life, according to data compiled by city health and education officials.
Cox stepping down to head D.C. education institute �| ajc.com
Cox stepping down to head D.C. education institute �| ajc.com
At a news conference, Cox, who was facing re-election this year, said she is set to become the founding chief executive officer of the U.S. Education Delivery Institute (EDI).
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
State Superintendent Kathy Cox announced Monday that she is bowing out June 30, ending nearly eight years as chief of the 1,000-employee state Department of Education.
At a news conference, Cox, who was facing re-election this year, said she is set to become the founding chief executive officer of the U.S. Education Delivery Institute (EDI).EDI is a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., that will work to help states improve student achievement, Cox told reporters.
She fought back tears several times as she talked of the work she and staff have done in the past 7 1/2 years to raise student achievement and improve graduation rates.
A job advertisement posted on the Web site Killer Campaigning describes EDI as a "fully independent nonprofit venture being launched by the Education Trust in partnership with Achieve and McKinsey & Co."
The ad said the organization's goal is "to help public-sector leaders translate education reform ideas and policies into replicable and sustainable best practices" and focus on "the important work of increasing the number of students, particularly low-income and students of color, that graduate from high school, and enter and succeed in college."
“I feel this job was specifically written for me,” Cox said.
Cox was to face two other Republicans in the upcoming primary: John Barge, a Rome education administrator: and Richard Woods, a teacher from Tifton.
Three Democrats are also running for the position: Beth Farokhi, a Cobb County educator; Joe Martin, former chairman of the Atlanta school board; and Brian Westlake, a Decatur teacher.
One of the most interesting and unsettled chapters of Cox's term as state superintendent involves the distribution of $1 million she won as a contestant on the Fox Broadcasting
Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.comElissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com Original Caption: 100210 Atlanta--State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox and state board of education members listen as Kathleen Mathers, the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement, presents the latest findings in the CRCT testing investigation at the James H. Sloppy Floyd building in Atlanta, Ga Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010. Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com
Quick Takes: Breaking News: Shireman to Leave Education Dept. July 1 - Inside Higher Ed
Breaking News: Shireman to Leave Education Department July 1
WASHINGTON -- Robert Shireman, the deputy under secretary of education who led the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the student loan programs and has spearheaded its increased scrutiny of for-profit higher education, will announce tomorrow that he is leaving his job July 1. Shireman's decision, which was confirmed by several people familiar with his situation, was expected in many ways; he had to be persuaded to return to Washington to join the administration and made clear from start that he would be a short timer. Shireman achieved his primary goal in coming to Washington -- legislation enacted this spring to shift the origination of all federal student loans to the federal government's Direct Loan Program, which he played a role in creating and building in his previous jobs on Capitol Hill and in the Clinton White House -- and so the timing of his
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Teachers, staff all rehired at Central Falls H.S.
Teachers, staff all rehired at Central Falls H.S.
The firings were pushed at first by an over-zealous State CommissionerDeborah Gist, and a near apoplectic local supt.,Fran Gallo, both bending over backwards [no pun intended] to please Arne Duncan's reform agenda. Duncan, in turn, praised the mass firings as "courageous" and held up mass teacher firings as the new face of school reform as well as an implied threat to any union that wouldn't play ball on RTTT.
But the fired teachers got such overwhelming support from students and fellow teachers around the country,
First Lady Announces Food and Beverage Manufacturer Agreement with Partnership for a Healthier America to Fight Childhood Obesity | The White House
First Lady Announces Food and Beverage Manufacturer Agreement with Partnership for a Healthier America to Fight Childhood Obesity
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation Members Pledge Product
Changes to Reduce 1.5 Trillion Calories by 2015
Washington, DC – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced that the Partnership for a Healthier America has signed an agreement with The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) whose members are pledging to take actions aimed at reducing 1.5 trillion product calories by the end of 2015. As an interim step to this goal, HWCF will seek to reduce calories by 1 trillion in 2012.
“Solving the obesity epidemic requires far more than anything government can do alone and today’s announcement represents an important step forward to providing Americans with healthier choices so that they can choose to lead healthier lives,” said Mrs. Obama, who also serves as honorary chair of the Partnership. “This is precisely the kind of private sector commitment we need. I want to thank the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation for stepping up to the plate and I hope this encourages others to do the same.”
“On behalf of the Partnership, I am pleased to acknowledge this major first step by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. Pledges like this one – with targeted and achievable results that are meaningful and measurable – will help us reach our goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation,” said Dr. James R. Gavin III, chairman of the Partnership’s board of directors.
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation manufacturing companies will pursue their calorie reduction goals by growing and introducing lower-calorie options; changing product recipes where possible to lower the calorie content of current products; or reducing portion sizes of existing single-serve products. These changes will help Americans reduce their calorie intake, improve their overall nutrition and close the energy gap.
Through pledges like this, the Partnership is working to mobilize the private sector, thought leaders, media, and local communities to undertake actions that will further the goals of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign to curb childhood obesity within a generation. To ensure that the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation stands by its pledge, the Partnership will work with the organization and the data it collects to monitor progress towards fulfilling its commitment on an annual basis.
“Accountability is a critical element of our agreement with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. These types of calorie reduction efforts can have a significant impact on the obesity trend, so we want to be sure that organizations making commitments are following through with real results,” said S. Lawrence Kocot, interim President and CEO of the Partnership and a member of its board of directors.
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is working to promote ways to help Americans achieve healthy weight by balancing the energy (calories) they consume with the energy they expend through physical activity. HWCF focuses on increasing access and opportunities for physical activity, healthier nutrition options and raising awareness of the energy balance approach – in the marketplace, in the workplace and in schools.
“The First Lady has shown tremendous leadership in calling for national action to end child obesity,” said David Mackay, chair of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and CEO of Kellogg Company. “Through this effort, Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation member companies will further strengthen their emphasis on healthier food options to better help consumers achieve and maintain a healthy diet.”
To assess the impact of the pledge, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will support a rigorous, independent evaluation of how the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation’s efforts to reduce calories in the marketplace affect calories consumed by children and adolescents. RWJF will publicly report its findings.
About the Partnership for a Healthier America
The Partnership for a Healthier America is an independent, nonpartisan organization that will mobilize broad-based support for efforts to solve the child obesity challenge. Core activities of the Partnership include:
Developing a strong membership network of leaders across sectors with commitment to scaling meaningful and measurable solutions; Convening members annually to affirm, align, and announce commitments; Promoting broad understanding among all sectors about the role healthy food, physical activity, and the environment play in reversing the childhood obesity epidemic; Facilitating and measuring the impact of members’ commitments against clear and transparent targets; and Connecting potential partners in the private and nonprofit sectors to each other and to the correct points of contact in government to ensure efficient leveraging of actions, and sharing of knowledge and lessons learned at the community, state, and national levels.
The Partnership emerged out of a series of conversations between The California Endowment, Kaiser Permanente Fund for Community Benefit, Nemours, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which is a partnership of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal, LLP has provided operational and legal support in establishing the Foundation. The Brookings Institution has also contributed thought leadership to the effort. For more information, visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org.
About the Let’s Move! Campaign
The First Lady’s nationwide initiative seeks to solve the challenge of childhood obesity, so that America’s youngest children reach adulthood at a healthy weight. Her plan offers four pillars:
Offering parents the tools and information they need to make healthy choices for their kids; Getting healthier food into our nation’s schools; Ensuring that all our families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities; and Increasing opportunities for kids to be physically active, both in and out of school.
The Partnership will support these pillars through a campaign to unite and inspire families from every corner of the United States to take real and sustained actions to eat better, be more active, and make a commitment to embracing healthier lifestyles. For more information, visit www.letsmove.gov.
About the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is first-of-its kind coalition that brings together more than 80 of the nation’s largest retailers, non-profit organizations, food and beverage manufacturers and trade associations aimed at helping to reduce obesity. The calorie-reduction initiative is part of a multi-pronged effort by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and its members to help American families reduce the calories they consume while increasing the calories they expend. For more information, visit www.healthyweightcommit.org.
Changes to Reduce 1.5 Trillion Calories by 2015
Washington, DC – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced that the Partnership for a Healthier America has signed an agreement with The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) whose members are pledging to take actions aimed at reducing 1.5 trillion product calories by the end of 2015. As an interim step to this goal, HWCF will seek to reduce calories by 1 trillion in 2012.
“Solving the obesity epidemic requires far more than anything government can do alone and today’s announcement represents an important step forward to providing Americans with healthier choices so that they can choose to lead healthier lives,” said Mrs. Obama, who also serves as honorary chair of the Partnership. “This is precisely the kind of private sector commitment we need. I want to thank the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation for stepping up to the plate and I hope this encourages others to do the same.”
“On behalf of the Partnership, I am pleased to acknowledge this major first step by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. Pledges like this one – with targeted and achievable results that are meaningful and measurable – will help us reach our goal of curbing childhood obesity within a generation,” said Dr. James R. Gavin III, chairman of the Partnership’s board of directors.
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation manufacturing companies will pursue their calorie reduction goals by growing and introducing lower-calorie options; changing product recipes where possible to lower the calorie content of current products; or reducing portion sizes of existing single-serve products. These changes will help Americans reduce their calorie intake, improve their overall nutrition and close the energy gap.
Through pledges like this, the Partnership is working to mobilize the private sector, thought leaders, media, and local communities to undertake actions that will further the goals of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign to curb childhood obesity within a generation. To ensure that the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation stands by its pledge, the Partnership will work with the organization and the data it collects to monitor progress towards fulfilling its commitment on an annual basis.
“Accountability is a critical element of our agreement with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. These types of calorie reduction efforts can have a significant impact on the obesity trend, so we want to be sure that organizations making commitments are following through with real results,” said S. Lawrence Kocot, interim President and CEO of the Partnership and a member of its board of directors.
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is working to promote ways to help Americans achieve healthy weight by balancing the energy (calories) they consume with the energy they expend through physical activity. HWCF focuses on increasing access and opportunities for physical activity, healthier nutrition options and raising awareness of the energy balance approach – in the marketplace, in the workplace and in schools.
“The First Lady has shown tremendous leadership in calling for national action to end child obesity,” said David Mackay, chair of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and CEO of Kellogg Company. “Through this effort, Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation member companies will further strengthen their emphasis on healthier food options to better help consumers achieve and maintain a healthy diet.”
To assess the impact of the pledge, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will support a rigorous, independent evaluation of how the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation’s efforts to reduce calories in the marketplace affect calories consumed by children and adolescents. RWJF will publicly report its findings.
About the Partnership for a Healthier America
The Partnership for a Healthier America is an independent, nonpartisan organization that will mobilize broad-based support for efforts to solve the child obesity challenge. Core activities of the Partnership include:
Developing a strong membership network of leaders across sectors with commitment to scaling meaningful and measurable solutions; Convening members annually to affirm, align, and announce commitments; Promoting broad understanding among all sectors about the role healthy food, physical activity, and the environment play in reversing the childhood obesity epidemic; Facilitating and measuring the impact of members’ commitments against clear and transparent targets; and Connecting potential partners in the private and nonprofit sectors to each other and to the correct points of contact in government to ensure efficient leveraging of actions, and sharing of knowledge and lessons learned at the community, state, and national levels.
The Partnership emerged out of a series of conversations between The California Endowment, Kaiser Permanente Fund for Community Benefit, Nemours, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which is a partnership of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal, LLP has provided operational and legal support in establishing the Foundation. The Brookings Institution has also contributed thought leadership to the effort. For more information, visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org.
About the Let’s Move! Campaign
The First Lady’s nationwide initiative seeks to solve the challenge of childhood obesity, so that America’s youngest children reach adulthood at a healthy weight. Her plan offers four pillars:
Offering parents the tools and information they need to make healthy choices for their kids; Getting healthier food into our nation’s schools; Ensuring that all our families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities; and Increasing opportunities for kids to be physically active, both in and out of school.
The Partnership will support these pillars through a campaign to unite and inspire families from every corner of the United States to take real and sustained actions to eat better, be more active, and make a commitment to embracing healthier lifestyles. For more information, visit www.letsmove.gov.
About the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is first-of-its kind coalition that brings together more than 80 of the nation’s largest retailers, non-profit organizations, food and beverage manufacturers and trade associations aimed at helping to reduce obesity. The calorie-reduction initiative is part of a multi-pronged effort by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and its members to help American families reduce the calories they consume while increasing the calories they expend. For more information, visit www.healthyweightcommit.org.
The Women's Conference - Empowerment, Inspiration and Education for Women - The Home for Architects of Change
ALEXA VON TOBEL - CEO & Founder, LearnVest
Alexa von Tobel, CEO & Founder, LearnVest
Two years ago I had an idea for a website. I wanted to bring trusted personal finance education to women online – and do so in a fun and hip way. In December 2008, when most were hiding cash under their mattress, I decided to leave a well paying job, invest all of the money I made post college, and take on the challenge of building a company.
Despite the recession, I was able to develop my idea into a viable business and today; LearnVest is a venture-backed TechCrunch50 company educating thousands of women about personal finance.
I want to share with you the 5 most powerful lessons I learned throughout my experience building a company. Many of the tips I'm discussing with you were passed down from others who were kind enough to share their experiences and insight with me.
1. Get skin in the game.
Despite the recession, I was able to develop my idea into a viable business and today; LearnVest is a venture-backed TechCrunch50 company educating thousands of women about personal finance.
I want to share with you the 5 most powerful lessons I learned throughout my experience building a company. Many of the tips I'm discussing with you were passed down from others who were kind enough to share their experiences and insight with me.
1. Get skin in the game.
Foregoing income is one thing; investing your own money in your idea is another. At a time when the economy was at its worst, I took a leap and invested all the money I made post-college into starting LearnVest. I don't recommend that everyone else be this crazy, but having a personal investment in your company will influence every decision you make.
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