TEACHER ASKS FOR HELP

Friends, can you help? Our kids don't have jackets.

If you have an old jacket of your own child or can spare some time to buy some used jackets from Goodwill for kids, let me know. I can collect them.

Here's the request: PLEASE HELP--I WILL TOO

e-mail me: hkernan@mills.edu

Hey Holly-

I have a HUGE request that has recently come to my attention. Many of my students do not have jackets.

When I asked them why they did not bring a jacket today-(freezing and rainy) they said they didnt have one.

I almost started crying.

Any sort of donations of jackets, sweaters, rain boots, clothing etc. would be greatly appreciated. I know that kids grow like weeds-so maybe parents have items that just don't fit their child anymore.

Our students could really use them.

I appreciate your concern and caring so much.

Many thanks and Hopes-

Tracy

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending | SouthCoastToday.com

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending SouthCoastToday.com:

"Here's what everyone agrees on: Too many kids are fat. The food they get at school, which provides 35 percent of most schoolchildren's calories, is not nutritious enough and tastes lousy, to boot. And there's not enough money to change this unwholesome picture.

So here's the question: How much will it cost to fix school lunch?

Congress will seek the answer this fall as it budgets for childhood nutrition programs, which include about $12 billion annually for school meals. There is no lack of proposals. The nonprofit School Nutrition Association is asking for a 35-cent-per-lunch increase in the federal reimbursement rate, which now stands at $2.68. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., wants a 70-cent raise. Berkeley, Calif., chef and local-food pioneer Alice Waters is lobbying to bring the total to $5 per student. The administration, too, supports improving school food, at least rhetorically: President Obama has proposed an additional $1 billion for child nutrition programs, including school lunch, in his 2010 budget. Michelle Obama is promoting healthful eating as a signature issue."

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com)

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com):

"The chairman of the Orange County (California) Board of Education says she is 'appalled' that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking schools to set aside a day to honor a controversial homosexual activist.

Schwarzenegger signed a bill earlier this week creating an annual day of recognition for Harvey Milk. The designation of each May 22 as 'Harvey Milk Day' encourages schools around the state to commemorate the murdered homosexual politician and activist. (See earlier story)

Last month, the Orange County Board of Education voted unanimously (5-0) to oppose the creation of Harvey Milk Day. Dr. Alexandria Coronado, chairman of that board, says she is 'absolutely furious' that the homosexual community is claiming that passage of the Harvey Milk bill is a civil rights victory."

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com:

"CLARKSDALE, Miss. -- Academy-Award winner Morgan Freeman says Mississippi is 'starving' for the right leadership, so the actor is using his celebrity status to help his friend run for governor in 2011.

Freeman has written a fundraising letter and is one of the hosts for a cocktail party in Los Angeles next week for Bill Luckett, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination. Term limits prevent Republican Gov. Haley Barbour from seeking a third term."

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald:

"Anyone who made even a cursory examination of last July's state budget agreement could see that it was a sham. It made unreasonable assumptions, desperate raids on local revenues that have to be repaid and relied on illegal transfers of special-purpose funds.

As time goes on, the shortcomings of the budget agreement are becoming even more apparent. The latest blow to the state's budgeting shenanigans comes from the California Supreme Court. It upheld a lower-court ruling that raids on funding for bus and train service are illegal.

The court rejected an appeal by the Schwarzenegger administration, which sought the right to divert $3.4 billion in transit funds to the general fund to help fill a gaping deficit hole."

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?:

"It is during a moment of crisis that the true nature of capitalism is revealed.

Capitalism puts making profits over the needs of working people. Under capitalism, we see an endless cycle of war, environmental destruction, unemployment, people living on the streets and many dying of illnesses because they cannot afford health care.

Socialism, on the other hand, is the type of society whose main goal is to cover the needs of people. Under socialism, everyone will have a job, free high-quality health care, affordable housing and a free education. Join us for a talk and discussion on how this can be achieved."

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News:

"Student enrollments in nursing programs in California have increased over the last few years, but shortage of well-trained nurses remains a problem because of budget cuts to higher education.

California colleges and universities will need to graduate more than 40,000 nurses within the next decade to meet projected demand, according to a report from the Legislative Analyst's Office.

However, because of the budget crisis, funds needed to expand or maintain nursing programs in state universities and community colleges are either cut or unchanged, said Sara Bachez, consultant for the Assembly Budget Committee."

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram:

"LONG BEACH - Two prominent political figures from opposing parties are jointly campaigning in favor of a Nov. 3 property tax increase that would fund the Long Beach Unified School District.

Former Mayor Beverly O'Neill, a Democrat, and former Gov. George Deukmejian, a Republican, are urging voters to support the Nov. 3 ballot measure that would assess all properties $92 annually for five years. The measure would raise about $12.5 million a year toward a $95 million shortfall expected over the next two years.
Deukmejian and O'Neill also urged absentee voters to support the initiative.

'We can no longer depend upon Sacramento to provide the funds necessary to maintain a high-quality educational program here in Long Beach,' Deukmejian said in an interview. 'In my opinion, those of us who live here need to do everything we possibly can to maintain as a high a level of educational programs as possible.'"

Queer history month - News

Queer history month - News:

"The Sacramento State PRIDE Center is celebrating Queer History Month throughout October, striving to promote awareness and education of the queer community on campus and at large.

Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual Transgender Month, as it is known nationally, has been recognized every October in countries around the world for nearly 50 years. Today queer communities around the world will commemorate National Coming Out Day, a holiday focused on promoting awareness of GLBT persons living honest and open lives.

National Coming Out Day was established in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary. The day was created to celebrate the second national march in Washington, D.C., the year before, when more than 500,000 people marched for queer rights."

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News:

"In what's become an increasingly common routine under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's watch, legislators are once again giving up their traditional autumn vacations in hopes of tackling a host of issues lost amid another bad year of budget cuts.

This time, Schwarzenegger has summoned them back for three special sessions — the 12th, 13th and 14th since he's taken office — asking lawmakers in each instance to swing for the fences on subjects that have long divided the state: an overhaul of the state's crumbling water system, fundamental education reform and a proposal to dramatically alter California's tax code."

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"After years of effort, California has launched a statewide system that can track all manner of data for individual public school students as they move from kindergarten through high school.

But it's off to a shaky start.

Debbie Bennett at Black Oak Mine Unified School District in Georgetown kept getting the same message last week when she tried to log into the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: 'Please bear with us while we correct this.'"

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"California is back in the race.

Sunday afternoon Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that took away the biggest obstacle to the state winning a share of $4.35 billion in federal Race to the Top funds for education.
Senate Bill 19, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, eliminates a statewide ban against tying student test scores to teacher evaluations."

Genevieve Shiroma Endorses Patrick for City Council

Patrick Kennedy:

"SMUD Director Genevieve Shiroma has endorsed Patrick Kennedy for Sacramento City Council.

Genevieve has served the SMUD Board of Directors with distinction since 1998, representing the Fourth Ward, which includes Curtis Park. She also serves on the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

“Genevieve understands the plight of the working people in the 5th District. As the daughter of a farm worker, she understands the hardships of low income families and has spent her public career as a voice for those who are often voiceless. Having her support is truly humbling,” said Patrick upon announcing the endorsement."

Mayor Johnson's missing garment bag is recovered in San Francisco - Latest News - sacbee.com

Mayor Johnson's missing garment bag is recovered in San Francisco - Latest News - sacbee.com:

"The bag was apparently found by a young man who was walking to a restaurant near Union Square with his girlfriend. That man called Johnson's office on Tuesday and described the contents of the bag, Johnson wrote on his blog.

The suit was on its way back to Sacramento, Johnson wrote."

OPINION Blog | The Dallas Morning News

OPINION Blog The Dallas Morning News:


"It places the responsibility on the universities to compete and maintain standards before receiving funding as they upgrade to the Tier One level. The program's success could provide future Texans the educational opportunities that many Californians have, and the industrial development that California had before it began taxing and regulating itself to death.

Industry, investment and jobs are leaving California each year, so why not give them an incentive to relocate to Texas? This amendment does not affect taxes, and the funding has already been set aside."

Students urge Sodexo to go “cage-free” : The Temple News

Students urge Sodexo to go “cage-free” : The Temple News:

"The University of Pennsylvania and the State of California are cage-free. Organizations gathered 4,000 signatures for Temple to follow suit.

CORY POPP TTN The Sexy Green Truck outside the Student Center touts its use of cage-free eggs. Temple Dining Services plans to add cage-free to next year’s budget.

Three Temple student organizations are campaigning against university dining services’ use of battery-caged eggs in the cafeteria.

The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, Environmental Law Society and the Promoters of Animal Welfare issued a policy paper imploring the university to go cage-free, according to a new Web site, cagefreetemple.com ."

Removal of educational "firewall" praised | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Removal of educational "firewall" praised L.A. NOW Los Angeles Times:

"The nation’s top education official praised Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today for signing a bill that will make California eligible for competitive federal education funding.

Schwarzenegger signed the bill, SB 19 by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), on Sunday, striking a clause in a 2006 law Simitian wrote that bars state use of testing data to determine educator pay or promotion.

Obama administration officials have said that states applying for $4.35 billion in education funding cannot have any 'firewalls' between student achievement data and teachers.
“This is a victory for children,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a telephone interview this afternoon."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Virginia Group Challenges School Labor Pact

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Virginia Group Challenges School Labor Pact:

"A Virginia-based organization filed federal charges of unfair labor practices against San Diego Unified last week, arguing that a labor agreement on its $2.1 billion school construction bond 'enriches union officials (and) punishes nonunion workers and employers.' The agreement requires employers to provide healthcare largely through union plans, sets steep goals for local hiring, and gives apprentices from union programs the first shot at jobs to build their skills.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation sent out a press release stating that it had filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board on the behalf of a nonunion employee:"

Foundation attorneys are providing free legal aid to and filing the federal charges for Wesley Fuller, a Brady Company employee who hangs drywall and has completed all state apprenticeship requirements, and all similarly situated employees. But, because Fuller’s particular apprenticeship program was not established through union monopoly bargaining, he is being illegally denied access to employment.

Reliable Source - Top News Item

Reliable Source - Top News Item:

"There's much more important Michelle Rhee news these days, like, say, her controversial firing of nearly 400 school employees. You can read about that in other sections. We just want to point out that she has a sharp new haircut -- seen here, at a conference hosted Friday by Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education. That's all."

Closing the Achievement Gap: Partnerships Resource Kit

Closing the Achievement Gap: Partnerships Resource Kit

State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Offers Education Agencies a New Toolto Combat the Achievement Gap


SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced that a key recommendation by his CaliforniaP-16 Council is being implemented with the release of a new online tool called the Resource Kit for Developing Partnerships to Close the Achievement Gap (Resource Kit).

"Family and community partners are powerful and critical allies for schools working to improve student success and close the achievement gap," said O'Connell. "The success of our students is directly connected to the success of our state and national economy. That’s why I urge businesses, faith-based organizations, parents, community groups, and others to get involved in their local schools. We all have a stake in preparing all students to compete in the hypercompetitive global economy, and schools need our support and assistance to reach that goal."

The Resource Kit may be used by families, communities, and organizations to develop partnerships with schools that can help narrow the academic achievement gap that exists between higher-performing and lower-performing students. This online tool can help anyone understand the importance of partnerships, how to create them, and help existing partnerships improve. Users may access links to information on different types of partnerships with families, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, business, government agencies, institutions of higher learning, and youth service organizations. The Resource Kit also offers examples of real-life successful partnerships.

The Resource Kit is a result of one of the recommendations made in January by O'Connell's California P-16 Council. The P-16 Council was formed in 2004 to examine ways to improve student achievement and create a comprehensive, integrated system of student learning from preschool through higher education. The Council researched factors that inhibit successful student learning and grouped them into four themes called ACES:

1. Access: Do students have equal access to good teachers and rigorous curriculum?

2. Culture and Climate: Are students' learning environment safe and promote a sense of belonging?

3. Expectations: Does a culture of excellence exist for students and adults alike, so that a common, high standard is the norm for all students?

4. Strategies: Are proven teaching practices being used?

One of the ACES recommendations is to develop partnerships to close the achievement gap. The P-16 Council found that connecting schools with educational organizations, city and county agencies, faith-based organizations, parent groups, and businesses is necessary to foster partnerships that will support a well-defined student support system. Such partnerships recognize that students have needs outside the classroom that, if unmet, can significantly and adversely affect their ability to learn. Breaking down barriers and creating partnerships throughout California is an important step toward implementing a consistent approach to a high-quality and inclusive educational program.

"Too often in government, when recommendations are made by task forces or blue ribbon commissions on complex issues, they are forgotten as soon as the group disbands," added O'Connell. "The Resource Kit is one of 14 recommendations by the P-16 Council to narrow the achievement gap that we are engaged in implementing. I fully intend to implement all 14 recommendations before my term in office expires so that we can improve conditions at the state level that help close the gap. We must ensure that every child has a chance to succeed academically and in life."

The Coordinated School Health Work Group Steering Committee worked with the statewide P-16 Council to create the Resource Kit. The Committee represents education and community health partners, and other state-level stakeholders. The Resource Kit is available online through the California Department of Education's Closing the Achievement Gap Web site at www.closingtheachievementgap.org/partnerships. For more information on the P-16 Council, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/pc/. The California Department of Education is a state agency led by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. The core purpose of CDE is to lead and support the continuous improvement of student achievement, with a specific focus on closing achievement gaps. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/ or by mobile device at http://m.cde.ca.gov/. You may also follow Superintendent O'Connell (@SSPIJack) on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/sspijack.