Saturday, July 3, 2010

The Washington Teacher: Knock Knock- Who's In Charge Of The Washington Teachers Union?

Knock Knock- Who's In Charge Of The Washington Teachers Union?

by The Wash. Teacher

The WTU Constitution Says It Isn't George Parker

A lawsuit has been filed due to election tampering by George Parker, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) President. According to the WTU Constitution, Parker's elected term ended June 30, 2010 and the new slate should have been installed July 1. Parker's cronie, John Tatum reported to the Washington Examiner earlier last month that the WTU would not hold union elections until November. Now they are saying union elections will be held in September. It's hard to believe anything these two say. Read about the lawsuit (below) that has been filed to address Parker's elections meddling as well as his retaliatory actions to reduce Nathan Saunders, WTU General VP's salary to a big fat zero while he (Parker) continues to earn a hefty sum of $150,000 and perks. Go figure. Here's the latest as reported by the Washington City Paper news desk.

Lawsuit Filed As WTU Election Fiasco Gets Personal by Alex Burchfield

"Who, exactly, is in charge of Washington Teachers’ Union? Current president George

NorthJersey.com: Standoff between NJ Gov. Chris Christie and Dems over property taxes unresolved

Standoff between NJ Gov. Chris Christie and Dems over property taxes unresolved

Saturday, July 3, 2010

BY LISA FLEISHER AND JOSH MARGOLIN

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

Gov. Chris Christie and the Democrats who control the Legislature continued to publicly posture over the governor’s property tax reform agenda yesterday, and private negotiations that lasted into the night failed to resolve the standoff.

NJ Gov. Chris Christie and state Democratic lawmakers remain in a standoff over property tax reform.

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NJ Gov. Chris Christie and state Democratic lawmakers remain in a standoff over property tax reform.

Talks between Christie and legislative leaders broke up just before 9 p.m. with no resolution, ending the second day of a special session that yielded little progress.
The day began with threats the governor would take the Legislature to court to force the full houses to meet and the specter he would conditionally veto a competing property tax bill lawmakers passed earlier this week.
By dusk, no court action had been taken, the veto had not been issued, and Christie and his staff had spent hours wrangling with Democratic leaders.
At one point, shortly after 3 p.m., Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) was

Portland metro area school districts look for ways to trim budgets | OregonLive.com

Portland metro area school districts look for ways to trim budgets

By Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian

July 03, 2010, 7:00AM

Although districts statewide handed in their adopted 2010-11 budget figures Wednesday, most are still looking for ways to slash spending. Across Clackamas County, schools are dealing with their constraints in varied ways. Full story »

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As school districts cut back, library assistants take on an increasing load

By Wendy Owen, The Oregonian

July 03, 2010, 4:00AM

Parents and educators objected this spring when school boards in Forest Grove and Tigard-Tualatin proposed cutting back the assistants, who some administrators say are essential. Full story »

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Southeast Portland's Marysville School tries to rise from the ashes

By Molly Hottle, The Oregonian

July 02, 2010, 11:44AM

Plans to rebuild sections of the school are in the works, but district officials said budget cuts could delay the progress. Full story »

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Portland, Medford high school students receive national awards in skills competition

By Molly Hottle, The Oregonian

July 02, 2010, 11:20AM

Four Oregon students take home top honors from a national competition sponsored by SkillsUSA. Full story »

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David Douglas' music education earns high honor

By Andrew Maddocks, The Oregonian

July 01, 2010, 5:08PM

The David Douglas school district earned a "Best Communities" award from a national music nonprofit for the size, quality and funding of its music education program. Full story »

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Free Technology for Teachers: Literacy Heads - Teaching Literacy Through Art

Literacy Heads - Teaching Literacy Through Art

by noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Byrne)

Literacy Head is a weekly e-publication about teaching literacy through the use of art work. Each week Literacy Head publishes lessons for teaching visuals-based reading, writing, and vocabulary lessons. The word "brave" is included in this week's vocabulary lesson. To help students visualize the word and its definition, Literacy Head has four images of people doing brave things.

Literacy Head's current weekly issues are free to view. Accessing the archives requires a Literacy Headmembership. In other words, you can view each new issue each week for free, but archives access requires

Even with state subsidy, Pennsylvania school budgets facing cuts News and Colleges - Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Education News and Colleges - Philadelphia Inquirer

Even with state subsidy, Pennsylvania school budgets facing cuts

By Dan Hardy

Inquirer Staff Writer

Even though the new state budget would increase the main public-education subsidy, the funding would not protect schools from making cuts next year, some school leaders say.
Most have already had to reduce staff and make other cuts to balance their budgets for next year, which had to be passed by June 30. The large majority are also raising taxes, many by more than the rate of inflation.
Cuts that were made to Gov. Rendell's proposed budget in the final version that passed Wednesday "just whittle more away from what was a bad scenario to start with," said Joseph Bruni, the superintendent in Delaware County's William Penn School District, which has already cut 28 teaching jobs and three administrative staff posts. "It just makes things worse in a budget year that is already difficult."
Philadelphia will get about $35 million less than it had planned on, said Michael Masch, the district's chief business officer. Even with a total budget of $3.2 billion, "that's a large enough reduction that will hurt somewhat," he said, but it will be several months before the district makes a final decision on what changes it will need to

Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

In a surprise, Ackerman replaces principal Saliyah Cruz at West Philly High

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has removed Saliyah Cruz as principal of West Philadelphia High School and replaced her with the man who most recently led troubled South Philadelphia High.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Report Card on the Schools

The Inquirer's annual survey of education in the region, with a searchable database of school and district information, and multimedia profiles of area students and high schools.

A Doorway Back

With the dropout problem in Philadelphia at crisis proportions, a chance-of-a-lifetime program offers 40 select students a shot at breaking the cycle of failure. But can they take advantage?

Students build model solar homes: The end-of-year assignment in teacher Kelly Crits' science class was on the cutting edge of America's energy crisis - to make a model solar home. But the students had to do it using heat-conducting doodads scavenged from home and school.
Thousands to take third try at New Jersey high school test: About 1,500 New Jersey students will start online tutoring next week in the hope of passing the state's alternative high school test in August on their third try, an Education Department spokeswoman said Friday.
Even with state subsidy, Pennsylvania school budgets facing cuts: Even though the new state budget would increase the main public-education subsidy, the funding would not protect schools from making cuts next year, some school leaders say.
Former South Philadelphia High principal leaves district payroll: Former South Philadelphia High principal LaGreta Brown left the school district payroll Wednesday, though Superintendent Arlene Ackerman said she was open to rehiring her at a lesser, lower-paid position.
Small schools still in flux: New York City went for small high schools in a big way, and the country's largest school system is still high on that education reform strategy. In Philadelphia, the superintendent's message is clear

Historic collection of Jewish artifacts to move to UC Berkeley - latimes.com

USC plans $900-million shopping and residential upgrade

By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times

Neighbors are divided on the project, which would replace University Village. Work could start in two years.

Historic collection of Jewish artifacts to move to UC Berkeley

By Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times

Thousands of objects and documents from the Judah L. Magnes Museum will be housed close to campus, more easily accessible.

Charters, teachers vie to take over L.A. Unified schools

By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times

The district is inviting bidders to run poorly performing and new campuses with 35,000 students. More than 80 groups submitted letters of intent for new or low-achieving schools for fall 2011.

EDUCATION
Headlines from L.A. Now

Monica Garcia to serve fourth year as L.A. Unified board president07/01/2010, 1:54 p.m.
Teachers, charters, others to bid for 17 new or struggling L.A. Unified campuses07/01/2010, 1:09 p.m.
More potential for problems with L.A. Unified's payroll system, grand jury says06/30/2010, 2:27 p.m.
Black freshmen numbers up at UC San Diego despite 'Compton Cookout' controversy06/29/2010, 6:24 p.m.
More California school districts on the financial brink06/29/2010, 5:02 p.m.
Former Newport Beach high school employee accused of stealing student body funds06/26/2010, 8:14 a.m.

More ...

NEA RA: How will the contradictions play out? � Fred Klonsky's blog

NEA RA: How will the contradictions play out.

by preaprez

Illinois union leadership.

The state caucus meetings have been going on for two days.
Of all the state affiliates that are represented here, on the question of fighting the Duncan/Obama education agenda, few are as compliant with the Department of Education as Illinois.
A vote this morning in caucus on New Business Item 2 was overwhelmingly defeated. NBI 2 calls for a no confidence vote on Race to the Top. I introduced the motion of support.
IEA President Ken Swanson was forced to come down from the podium to speak from the floor to personally oppose my motion.
But there will be other New Business Items addressing Race. There will be plenty of opportunities to speak to it.
While the Illinois leadership is compliant and gutless, I’m hearing reports that the NEA leadership may not be so

Schools Matter: What to Cut in Schools During the Depression, and It Ain't Libraries

What to Cut in Schools During the Depression, and It Ain't Libraries

by Jim Horn

Rather than accepting the cheap RTTT bribes inspired by Gates and Broad to bust up public education even further, states need to gird their loins, make some tough decisions, and hunker down.

From Joanne Yatvin in Oregon.com:

By Joanne Yatvin

The job of destroying America's public schools, left unfinished by No Child Left Behind, has now been taken over by our economic recession.

In nearly every state, teacher layoffs, a shortened school year, class-size increases and elimination of vital parts of the school curriculum are in progress, So far, Congress has failed to respond. Apparently our public schools, unlike Wall Street banks, are not "too big to fail." Ironically, the business community, the leading advocate of school reform in recent years, remains silent.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The roll call on Obey's Amendment

The roll call on Obey's Amendment

by Mike Klonsky

"I didn’t come here to be Arne Duncan’s congressman. Who do people think put the money into these programs in the first place? I did ... Welcome to Washington and welcome to hard choices.”-- House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (D. Wisc.)

Rep. Obey's amendment, includes $10 billion in aid to state governments and shifts $500 million out of Arne Duncan's $5 billion Race To The Top pool and into putting thousands of laid-off teachers back into their classrooms. But despite Obama's veto threat, the amendment passed overwhelmingly. The vote showed how thin support is for Duncan's reform among House Dems. They voted in favor of Obey's amendment 236-15. The

Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, July 3, 2010

The Washington Teacher: Knock Knock- Who's In Charge Of The Washington Teachers Union?

Knock Knock- Who's In Charge Of The Washington Teachers Union?

NorthJersey.com: Standoff between NJ Gov. Chris Christie and Dems over property taxes unresolved

Portland metro area school districts look for ways to trim budgets | OregonLive.com