NECAP testing recently exposed serious deficiencies in both Croydon's and Newport's mathematics programs. I'm pleased to report that the Croydon School Board has been looking into the source of these problems. While none can definitively cite a single cause, I believe the evidence overwhelmingly supports a case for replacing the "Trailblazer's" mathematics program used in both districts.
To address these concerns, the administration arranged a "Math Night" hosted by Newport's K-12 mathematics coach Christine Downing. As the night was poorly attended, Christine was kind enough to discuss the mathematics program further at the Croydon School Board meeting.
To their credit, all administrators promptly acknowledged the problem and accepted the need to take corrective action. The alternative explanations offered for the poor math skills may have merit, but they do not exonerate the Trailblazer's program. Consider the following points:
- Trailblazer's is almost universally panned as an inferior program
- Both Croydon and Newport exhibit comparably poor mathematics performance. Two different schools and sets of teachers have one thing in common: Trailblazer's.
- NECAP results for language skills are markedly higher than for mathematics. This makes it difficult to attribute the math problems to social causes or a lack of teaching skills.
- Several parents, including my colleagues, have indicated that the structure of the Trailblazer's program makes it difficult for parents to help with homework. A common orthodoxy of the education establishment is that parental involvement is vital to a successful education. I share this belief and consider this shortcoming a show-stopper.
- The sample questions from the NECAP tests are embarrassingly simple. My exhausted, up-past-10pm five year old daughter answered roughly 50% of the questions correctly.
- Trailblazer's has been used in Croydon and Newport for several years; test scores show no significant change.
The most damning evidence against Trailblazer's comes from their own website. As a board member, I was provided access to some of the informational material available on the Trailblazer's website. What I saw was convoluted, needlessly complicated, lazy mathematics. Its no wonder those of us educated in classical mathematics struggle through Trailblazer's nonsensical pedagogy.
It would be nice if we could afford experiments to determine whether Trailblazer's is a blessing or a curse. Few of us are willing to sacrifice more students to the Altar of Mediocrity. We cannot wait for iron-clad proof; we must act on the preponderance of evidence and dump this dubious educational fad.
Jim Peschke
For a comparison of several math programs click here.
Showing posts with label Newport Schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newport Schools. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Problem with Newport is Greed
This past week there was an Area Agreement Meeting in Croydon. As usual Newport showed their true colors, they were doing everything possible to derail the process and gave excuses left and right for their failures. Just stop the games Newport. Most parents will end up sending their children to Newport in the end. But please show us that Newport is capable of being compassionate and let those parents who want to send their children elsewhere if they so choose. Be a good neighbor, show us you are not greedy, let the area agreement just end. Will Newport continue to be a selfish greedy neighbor or will they let Croydon parents decide what is best for their own children?
Cathy
Spelling errors, grammar errors, misuse of homonyms and typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Funny the Quote of the Day could be applied to Newport as well - "And I use the word ‘trapped' and I use it directly. They are trapped by an educational bureaucracy, they are trapped by a selfish, self-interested, greedy school union that cares more about putting money in their own pocket, and the pockets of members, than they care about educating our most vulnerable and needy children." - Governor Christie
The following piece appears on American Thinker. There are great links associated with this story please go to the American Thinker to view the links.
Governor Christie slams public teacher unions
Greg Halvorson
He's done it again. Governor Christie of blue-turning-red-because-of-him New Jersey, made every American who loves leadership misty-eyed. Speaking to the Federation For Children in Washington D.C., the good governor tore into public teachers unions with customary resolve. For your pleasure:
"Parents and children who are being failed by a public schoolsystem whose costs are exorbitant and whose results are insulting deserve a choice. We don't have to look far around the country to know that vouchers and experiments in school choice are working, that they're producing results.
In D.C., those in that program are now reading 19 months ahead of their peers outside of the program. This isn't a coincidence, we know it's not a coincidence. We know that there's over five-million children trapped in over ten-thousand failing public schools around America.
And I use the word ‘trapped' and I use it directly. They are trapped by an educational bureaucracy, they are trapped by a selfish, self-interested, greedy school union that cares more about putting money in their own pocket, and the pockets of members, than they care about educating our most vulnerable and needy children."
He went on to say that in America's largest cities half of all students don't graduate high school. Citing an example, he pointed out that New Jersey tax-payers spend $24,000 per/student, per/year in Newark on what he said is an "absolutely disgraceful public education system."
"Our children deserve the best education they can get, no matter who is giving it to them," he said, "and it should not be restricted to public school teachers from a public school union that cares more about what they're paying for their health insurance than they care about whether the kids in our cities are graduating. That's disgraceful."
What isn't disgraceful is this marvelous leader. Governor Christie knows the way out.
Cathy
Spelling errors, grammar errors, misuse of homonyms and typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Funny the Quote of the Day could be applied to Newport as well - "And I use the word ‘trapped' and I use it directly. They are trapped by an educational bureaucracy, they are trapped by a selfish, self-interested, greedy school union that cares more about putting money in their own pocket, and the pockets of members, than they care about educating our most vulnerable and needy children." - Governor Christie
The following piece appears on American Thinker. There are great links associated with this story please go to the American Thinker to view the links.
Governor Christie slams public teacher unions
Greg Halvorson
He's done it again. Governor Christie of blue-turning-red-because-of-him New Jersey, made every American who loves leadership misty-eyed. Speaking to the Federation For Children in Washington D.C., the good governor tore into public teachers unions with customary resolve. For your pleasure:
"Parents and children who are being failed by a public schoolsystem whose costs are exorbitant and whose results are insulting deserve a choice. We don't have to look far around the country to know that vouchers and experiments in school choice are working, that they're producing results.
In D.C., those in that program are now reading 19 months ahead of their peers outside of the program. This isn't a coincidence, we know it's not a coincidence. We know that there's over five-million children trapped in over ten-thousand failing public schools around America.
And I use the word ‘trapped' and I use it directly. They are trapped by an educational bureaucracy, they are trapped by a selfish, self-interested, greedy school union that cares more about putting money in their own pocket, and the pockets of members, than they care about educating our most vulnerable and needy children."
He went on to say that in America's largest cities half of all students don't graduate high school. Citing an example, he pointed out that New Jersey tax-payers spend $24,000 per/student, per/year in Newark on what he said is an "absolutely disgraceful public education system."
"Our children deserve the best education they can get, no matter who is giving it to them," he said, "and it should not be restricted to public school teachers from a public school union that cares more about what they're paying for their health insurance than they care about whether the kids in our cities are graduating. That's disgraceful."
What isn't disgraceful is this marvelous leader. Governor Christie knows the way out.
Friday, May 14, 2010
SAU meeting Next Wednesday
"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from his government." - Thomas Paine
It is the duty of every Croydon resident to make sure that Newport is not wasting our tax dollars and using Croydon as it's own little cash cow. There is also an area agreement meeting on June 2nd. On so many levels Newport has been using us for so many years.
Cathy Peschke
It is the duty of every Croydon resident to make sure that Newport is not wasting our tax dollars and using Croydon as it's own little cash cow. There is also an area agreement meeting on June 2nd. On so many levels Newport has been using us for so many years.
Cathy Peschke
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Puppet Won
A puppet to the PTO and the Newport School Employees won the election. Croydon voters will have to be vigilant to keep Croydon tax dollars in check and the little red school house open. I am really disappointed in some of my fellow Croydon residents who voted for the tax and spend candidate.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
2010 Town Hall Meeting
For the first time in years, Croydon has more than one school board candidate on the ballot. Gayle Hedrington has been a regular at board meetings as both contributor and reporter. As a board member, I know where Gayle stands.
Like many in Croydon I know little about Meshial Wittasek, so I am grateful that she chose to define her position in a mailing. What I read disturbed me.
Meshial's mailer could best be summarized as "Vote for me, vote with me, so we can get back to spending your money". The attitude seems to be a call for all residents to put the financial whims of the school district ahead of all else, including one's family. Time will tell, but I believe her outlook is seriously out of touch with the concerns of Croydon residents.
Amid dry statistics, Meshial seeks to convince voters that public ed in Croydon is a bargain, that Newport district gives Croydon a good deal, and that last year's modest reduction of the school budget INCREASE was a catastrophe. None of these claims holds water.
At $9,724 per student, there is nothing "only" about Croydon's tuition. Check private schools in the area if you're unsure. There is nothing "only" about a 5% increase in the Croydon budget, 7-8% annual education spending increases, or 10% teacher raises in Newport. How many of us received 10% raises last year?
What Meshial fails to mention is that much of our budget woes stem from Newport's inability to control spending. Newport's high school tuition increased approximately 25% this year for no apparent reason. We're supposed to believe that $14,586 per year is some sort of bargain. For this reason, it is vital that Croydon pass Article 5 to form a committee to modify or scrap our AREA agreement with Newport.
Also conveniently omitted is the reason that "Newport was required to raise student test scores". Newport has failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for SIX YEARS IN A ROW! Is that a bargain for our $14k+?
Not surprisingly, last year's budget (which was an increase, not a cut as Meshial claimed) did not bring the catastrophe that some high spending proponents promised. What industry besides public education demands 7-8% annual spending increases during the worst economic downturn since the 1930s?
Once again, we're told that the sky will fall if we don't pass the board's budget as is. I voted against this budget and urge residents to do the same. Homeowners sacrifice too much already; a 25% tax increase cannot be justified.
Jim Peschke
Croydon School Board Member
Like many in Croydon I know little about Meshial Wittasek, so I am grateful that she chose to define her position in a mailing. What I read disturbed me.
Meshial's mailer could best be summarized as "Vote for me, vote with me, so we can get back to spending your money". The attitude seems to be a call for all residents to put the financial whims of the school district ahead of all else, including one's family. Time will tell, but I believe her outlook is seriously out of touch with the concerns of Croydon residents.
Amid dry statistics, Meshial seeks to convince voters that public ed in Croydon is a bargain, that Newport district gives Croydon a good deal, and that last year's modest reduction of the school budget INCREASE was a catastrophe. None of these claims holds water.
At $9,724 per student, there is nothing "only" about Croydon's tuition. Check private schools in the area if you're unsure. There is nothing "only" about a 5% increase in the Croydon budget, 7-8% annual education spending increases, or 10% teacher raises in Newport. How many of us received 10% raises last year?
What Meshial fails to mention is that much of our budget woes stem from Newport's inability to control spending. Newport's high school tuition increased approximately 25% this year for no apparent reason. We're supposed to believe that $14,586 per year is some sort of bargain. For this reason, it is vital that Croydon pass Article 5 to form a committee to modify or scrap our AREA agreement with Newport.
Also conveniently omitted is the reason that "Newport was required to raise student test scores". Newport has failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for SIX YEARS IN A ROW! Is that a bargain for our $14k+?
Not surprisingly, last year's budget (which was an increase, not a cut as Meshial claimed) did not bring the catastrophe that some high spending proponents promised. What industry besides public education demands 7-8% annual spending increases during the worst economic downturn since the 1930s?
Once again, we're told that the sky will fall if we don't pass the board's budget as is. I voted against this budget and urge residents to do the same. Homeowners sacrifice too much already; a 25% tax increase cannot be justified.
Jim Peschke
Croydon School Board Member
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Taxes will go up way up in Croydon
Taxes will go up way up in Croydon way up, if you do not let your voice be heard. The SAU administration presented the Croydon School Board a budget that included a 29% increase in the monies they are asking from Croydon taxpayers. We have.....
Rising unemployment - "The unadjusted November 2009 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 6.5 percent, unchanged from the October rate, which was unchanged with revision. The November 2008 unadjusted rate was 4.0 percent."
Decreasing home values - Just ask anyone who has tried to sell a home or refinance their home.
Uh we are in a recession folks.
But the greed of those who want Croydon tax dollars is unrelenting and the insensitivity to the taxpayers of Newport's feeder district appears never ending. Those on social security are not getting a raise this year, but Newport and the SAU wants 29% increase in the tax dollars they receive from us. Many of us are lucky to even have a job or even get a raise. Make sure you tell these people how you feel at the next School Board Meeting and the Town Hall Meeting this year. Seriously have they no sense of shame?
Cathy Peschke
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Quote of the Day - "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. " ~ Thomas Jefferson
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Why should Croydon Stay with the SAU?
Why should Croydon Stay with the SAU, if the SAU won't do their job. At several meetings they have reported how much they do for Croydon. I don't see it.
Stop wasting our tax dollars and do your job.
Cathy
Stop wasting our tax dollars and do your job.
Cathy
Monday, September 21, 2009
In case you missed it - SAU 43 students didn't watch Obama's Speech
The following piece appeared in the Valley News on September 15, 2009.
Newport, Croydon
Students Weren't Allowed to Watch
Obama's Speech
By Alex Hanson
Last Tuesday morning, Charen Urban was planning to watch President Barack Obama's address to the nation's schoolchildren with a Running Start college-level sociology class she teaches at Newport High School.
But during the first block of classes, an announcement came over the loudspeakers that the speech would be taped and shown at a later date, and that teachers were not to screen it live in their classrooms.
Urban was surprised. She had planned her lesson for the Running Start class around the speech. She did download and print the text of the speech and she had her students read it and discuss it, but that's not the same as having the president talk to you.
“I thought that it was an opportunity lost,” Urban said.
Marilyn Brannigan, interim superintendent of Newport and Croydon schools, told the Valley News last Tuesday that she supported the message of the president's speech. “Is encouraging kids to study hard and do their best bad? People say it's political, but I don’t know. Encouraging kids to study hard, work hard, is a good thing,” she said.
She also said the schools were offering the option to any class or students who would like to watch the speech. But early in the school day, Brannigan preempted the live broadcast.
Newport and Croydon students will see Obama's speech as part of this Thursday's Constitution Day activities, Brannigan said in an interview Friday.
“We didn't have time to do any planning” before the speech aired, Brannigan said, noting that students had been out of school the previous Friday and Monday. The delay will give teachers time to prepare, she said.
“We also had 10 parents call and say, ‘You can't show it to my kids,' ” she said. She and the school principals “decided on the morning (of the speech) that we hadn't had the opportunity to preview” the president’s remarks. “We didn’t know how many people were out there” who objected to having their children watch and discuss the 15-minute speech, she added.
Preparation time, and not pressure from parents, was the prime reason for the delay, Brannigan said.
Croydon School Board member James Peschke was among those who questioned whether the district should show the speech live. He sent an e-mail to Brannigan, and posted his objections on the blog he and his wife write on behalf of Croydon Citizens for Reasonable and Fair Taxes.
“I don't know if my letter altered their plans in any way,” Peschke said. Brannigan cited the letter in a conversation with the Valley News.
Peschke opposed the speech on several grounds: It isn't the president's job to talk to students, schools and parents wouldn’t have adequate opportunity to review the speech beforehand, and the speech was directed at students in kindergarten through 12th grade, too wide an age range.
“The lack of review was my largest concern,” Peschke said in a phone interview, adding, “I had concerns that (the speech) was propagandistic in nature.”
Asked to clarify how the president's speech, which urged children to stay in school and work hard, might have contained propaganda, Peschke said, “You could make the case that ‘stay in school' is propaganda.” It might be for a good cause, “but it's still propaganda,” he said.
“My personal view is that parents should make that individual decision” about whether their children should watch the president's speech, Peschke said, noting that he “would do that for any president.”
Peschke said he has read the speech and found it “relatively harmless.” Still, he's glad the district taped it.
Not all parents share Peschke's views.
“If it was a speech directed to the young people, then I thought they should be able to hear it,” said Rick Cota of Newport, who talked to a reporter while watching the Newport High School girls soccer match on Saturday. Even watching a taped speech wouldn't have the same impact as a live address, he said. “It's when it’s live that you’ve got everybody talking about it,” said Cota, who has a third-grader and an eighth-grader in Newport schools.
“I thought it was absolutely ridiculous,” said Lisa Clivio-Wentrup, a guidance counselor at Indian River School in West Canaan and the mother of two daughters in Newport schools.
“It's a prime example of how divided our country is,” said David Clivio-Wentrup, Lisa's husband and a teacher at Newport High School. “I'm 56 years old and I’ve never seen it as bad as it is now,” he added.
Would most Newport and Croydon students still have a chance to see the speech?
“I think everyone is planning to show it in some form,” Brannigan said.
“I guess we'll see,” David Clivio-Wentrup said. “Why wasn't it done in the first place, knowing for how long this speech would be done?” The White House news release about the speech was dated Sept. 2, the Wednesday before.
Brannigan said that the timing of the speech, on the Tuesday after a four-day weekend, left school officials with little time to plan. In the absence of central planning, teachers made their own plans to watch the speech.
“My principal and I had conversations via e-mail about it over the weekend,” said Debra Beaupre, a fifth-grade teacher at Newport's Towle Elementary School. Teachers “were thinking we could do what we wanted,” she said in a phone interview.
“I was looking at this as a gimme, a free little pep rally from the president of the United States,” Beaupre said. For some children, the speech might be one of those times when they might say “I remember when… .”
“The thing that was frustrating was I thought that we missed a chance to celebrate a free moment,” she said.
Showing the speech on Constitution Day, as the district now plans to do, doesn't hold the same appeal. “Maybe there's a point there, but I don’t see it,” Beaupre said, adding that as of the end of last week, there had been no talk in the school of curriculum in which to situate the speech.
Urban, who has made a point of reaching out to students in poverty, said she doesn't know what the plan was for showing the speech. She was ready last Tuesday. “I feel it was a very appropriate part of my curriculum,” she said.
Newport, Croydon
Students Weren't Allowed to Watch
Obama's Speech
By Alex Hanson
Last Tuesday morning, Charen Urban was planning to watch President Barack Obama's address to the nation's schoolchildren with a Running Start college-level sociology class she teaches at Newport High School.
But during the first block of classes, an announcement came over the loudspeakers that the speech would be taped and shown at a later date, and that teachers were not to screen it live in their classrooms.
Urban was surprised. She had planned her lesson for the Running Start class around the speech. She did download and print the text of the speech and she had her students read it and discuss it, but that's not the same as having the president talk to you.
“I thought that it was an opportunity lost,” Urban said.
Marilyn Brannigan, interim superintendent of Newport and Croydon schools, told the Valley News last Tuesday that she supported the message of the president's speech. “Is encouraging kids to study hard and do their best bad? People say it's political, but I don’t know. Encouraging kids to study hard, work hard, is a good thing,” she said.
She also said the schools were offering the option to any class or students who would like to watch the speech. But early in the school day, Brannigan preempted the live broadcast.
Newport and Croydon students will see Obama's speech as part of this Thursday's Constitution Day activities, Brannigan said in an interview Friday.
“We didn't have time to do any planning” before the speech aired, Brannigan said, noting that students had been out of school the previous Friday and Monday. The delay will give teachers time to prepare, she said.
“We also had 10 parents call and say, ‘You can't show it to my kids,' ” she said. She and the school principals “decided on the morning (of the speech) that we hadn't had the opportunity to preview” the president’s remarks. “We didn’t know how many people were out there” who objected to having their children watch and discuss the 15-minute speech, she added.
Preparation time, and not pressure from parents, was the prime reason for the delay, Brannigan said.
Croydon School Board member James Peschke was among those who questioned whether the district should show the speech live. He sent an e-mail to Brannigan, and posted his objections on the blog he and his wife write on behalf of Croydon Citizens for Reasonable and Fair Taxes.
“I don't know if my letter altered their plans in any way,” Peschke said. Brannigan cited the letter in a conversation with the Valley News.
Peschke opposed the speech on several grounds: It isn't the president's job to talk to students, schools and parents wouldn’t have adequate opportunity to review the speech beforehand, and the speech was directed at students in kindergarten through 12th grade, too wide an age range.
“The lack of review was my largest concern,” Peschke said in a phone interview, adding, “I had concerns that (the speech) was propagandistic in nature.”
Asked to clarify how the president's speech, which urged children to stay in school and work hard, might have contained propaganda, Peschke said, “You could make the case that ‘stay in school' is propaganda.” It might be for a good cause, “but it's still propaganda,” he said.
“My personal view is that parents should make that individual decision” about whether their children should watch the president's speech, Peschke said, noting that he “would do that for any president.”
Peschke said he has read the speech and found it “relatively harmless.” Still, he's glad the district taped it.
Not all parents share Peschke's views.
“If it was a speech directed to the young people, then I thought they should be able to hear it,” said Rick Cota of Newport, who talked to a reporter while watching the Newport High School girls soccer match on Saturday. Even watching a taped speech wouldn't have the same impact as a live address, he said. “It's when it’s live that you’ve got everybody talking about it,” said Cota, who has a third-grader and an eighth-grader in Newport schools.
“I thought it was absolutely ridiculous,” said Lisa Clivio-Wentrup, a guidance counselor at Indian River School in West Canaan and the mother of two daughters in Newport schools.
“It's a prime example of how divided our country is,” said David Clivio-Wentrup, Lisa's husband and a teacher at Newport High School. “I'm 56 years old and I’ve never seen it as bad as it is now,” he added.
Would most Newport and Croydon students still have a chance to see the speech?
“I think everyone is planning to show it in some form,” Brannigan said.
“I guess we'll see,” David Clivio-Wentrup said. “Why wasn't it done in the first place, knowing for how long this speech would be done?” The White House news release about the speech was dated Sept. 2, the Wednesday before.
Brannigan said that the timing of the speech, on the Tuesday after a four-day weekend, left school officials with little time to plan. In the absence of central planning, teachers made their own plans to watch the speech.
“My principal and I had conversations via e-mail about it over the weekend,” said Debra Beaupre, a fifth-grade teacher at Newport's Towle Elementary School. Teachers “were thinking we could do what we wanted,” she said in a phone interview.
“I was looking at this as a gimme, a free little pep rally from the president of the United States,” Beaupre said. For some children, the speech might be one of those times when they might say “I remember when… .”
“The thing that was frustrating was I thought that we missed a chance to celebrate a free moment,” she said.
Showing the speech on Constitution Day, as the district now plans to do, doesn't hold the same appeal. “Maybe there's a point there, but I don’t see it,” Beaupre said, adding that as of the end of last week, there had been no talk in the school of curriculum in which to situate the speech.
Urban, who has made a point of reaching out to students in poverty, said she doesn't know what the plan was for showing the speech. She was ready last Tuesday. “I feel it was a very appropriate part of my curriculum,” she said.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Obama Speech To The Students - September 8th
DOE Press Release
"President Obama announced that on September 8 — the first day of school for many children across America — he will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education.
……
This is the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation’s school children about persisting and succeeding in school."
If this was President Bush doing the same, asking the students to Pledge to President Bush would the schools allow it? Please watch one of the videos that has been presented in some schools. At first it is tame, than they pledge to democrat agendas, than they ask people to pledge to serve the President. As Americans we pledge to serve our Country and protect the Constitution not Pledge to a President whether they be on the right or the left.
Here is part of the suggested program.
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech: Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama and motivate students by asking the following questions: Who is the President of the United States? What do you think it takes to be President? To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking? Why do you think he wants to speak to you? What do you think he will say to you?
Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.
Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech: As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
After the Speech: Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President?
Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest.
On September 8th the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a 2 video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.
Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.
Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.
Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.
Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
Graph student progress toward goals.
The letter from Arne Duncan was sent to Principals bypassing school boards. Why? In the letter he states the following.
"On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank our educators who do society's most important work by preparing our children for work and for life. No other task is more critical to our economic future and our social progress. I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to continue improving the quality of public education we provide all of our children." Sincerely, Arne Duncan
I am sorry but isn't this the parents job. His quote reminds me of another quote.
"The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense." - Karl Marx
Here is another Mom's take of the whole situation, if you can watch the three videos imbedded in the post.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
"President Obama announced that on September 8 — the first day of school for many children across America — he will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education.
……
This is the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation’s school children about persisting and succeeding in school."
If this was President Bush doing the same, asking the students to Pledge to President Bush would the schools allow it? Please watch one of the videos that has been presented in some schools. At first it is tame, than they pledge to democrat agendas, than they ask people to pledge to serve the President. As Americans we pledge to serve our Country and protect the Constitution not Pledge to a President whether they be on the right or the left.
Here is part of the suggested program.
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech: Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama and motivate students by asking the following questions: Who is the President of the United States? What do you think it takes to be President? To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking? Why do you think he wants to speak to you? What do you think he will say to you?
Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.
Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech: As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
After the Speech: Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President?
Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest.
On September 8th the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a 2 video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.
Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.
Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.
Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.
Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
Graph student progress toward goals.
The letter from Arne Duncan was sent to Principals bypassing school boards. Why? In the letter he states the following.
"On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank our educators who do society's most important work by preparing our children for work and for life. No other task is more critical to our economic future and our social progress. I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to continue improving the quality of public education we provide all of our children." Sincerely, Arne Duncan
I am sorry but isn't this the parents job. His quote reminds me of another quote.
"The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense." - Karl Marx
Here is another Mom's take of the whole situation, if you can watch the three videos imbedded in the post.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
School Board Meeting This Wednesday
Please be sure to attend the school board meeting Wednesday night. It will be interesting to see just how the Newport crowd will try to scare Croydon residents out of school choice Wednesday night? More than anything the want our money they do not care about the wishes of Croydon parents and taxpayers.
Monday, June 22, 2009
"Chicken Little"s of Parental Choice
"Chicken Little"s of Parental Choice
Now that Croydon is taking measurable steps towards reviewing the AREA agreement with Newport, the "Chicken Little"s are coming out in force. Discontent with the results of a survey showing a large majority of residents favor parental choice, they seek to rewrite history, asserting that the public would never support choice "if they only knew". They want to keep repeating the question, hoping that a campaign of fear will eventually provide the answer they're looking for.
To claim most respondents hadn't considered modifications to the AREA agreement when supporting parental choice is absurd, if not downright dishonest. The resident survey came from the Long Term Planning committee, a group whose sole task was to determine what, if any, modifications should be made to the AREA agreement. The survey was simply a tool to gauge public sentiment.
Nothing can change unless the AREA agreement is modified or scrapped. This year in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Newport granted raises and benefit increases totaling roughly $600,000. Under the AREA agreement, Croydon taxpayers are legally bound to cover a portion of this cost, even though we had no voice in the spending decision. At the June 8th informational meeting, speakers used eloquent terms to describe this. I prefer the old classic - Taxation without representation.
As long as we maintain our monopoly AREA agreement, we will remain indentured servants of the Newport school system, a system not known for fiscal responsibility. The $67,000 budget cuts, which the board already voted to partially undo through increased spending, cannot hold the line on property taxes alone. Real reform means gaining control of our educational future, not caving to manufactured fears from education power brokers.
Jim Peschke
Croydon School Board
Now that Croydon is taking measurable steps towards reviewing the AREA agreement with Newport, the "Chicken Little"s are coming out in force. Discontent with the results of a survey showing a large majority of residents favor parental choice, they seek to rewrite history, asserting that the public would never support choice "if they only knew". They want to keep repeating the question, hoping that a campaign of fear will eventually provide the answer they're looking for.
To claim most respondents hadn't considered modifications to the AREA agreement when supporting parental choice is absurd, if not downright dishonest. The resident survey came from the Long Term Planning committee, a group whose sole task was to determine what, if any, modifications should be made to the AREA agreement. The survey was simply a tool to gauge public sentiment.
Nothing can change unless the AREA agreement is modified or scrapped. This year in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Newport granted raises and benefit increases totaling roughly $600,000. Under the AREA agreement, Croydon taxpayers are legally bound to cover a portion of this cost, even though we had no voice in the spending decision. At the June 8th informational meeting, speakers used eloquent terms to describe this. I prefer the old classic - Taxation without representation.
As long as we maintain our monopoly AREA agreement, we will remain indentured servants of the Newport school system, a system not known for fiscal responsibility. The $67,000 budget cuts, which the board already voted to partially undo through increased spending, cannot hold the line on property taxes alone. Real reform means gaining control of our educational future, not caving to manufactured fears from education power brokers.
Jim Peschke
Croydon School Board
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Will President Obama Nationalize Public Education?
What would happen to our little red schoolhouse if President Obama nationalizes public education? My guess is we would be forced into Newport or another school district? Anyone else want to venture a guess? What teeny tiny local control we had would be gone in a flash and the cost of public education in America will skyrocket.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
The following article appears on American Thinker.com.
Nationalizing Public Education Comes After Health Care
By Lee Cary
After Congress passes a national health care plan, nationalizing public education will be next.
John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends (1988), said something to the effect that Ronald Reagan wasn't leading the (conservative) parade; he was riding the horse that was leading the parade.
Barack Obama is leading the progressive parade, and his wagon is hitched to a team of horses that includes a compliant Democrat Congress, well-funded liberal think tanks, a shill media, and the collective mindset of a progressive movement active since the early 20th Century.
The Great Depression chaos gave FDR the opportunity to dramatically alter the nation's socio-political landscape. Likewise, the implosion of the credit market in 2008 gave the Obama administration the chaos needed to cram down its progressive initiatives with breathtaking speed.
The Republicans have neither the votes nor the collective will to turn back the tide of Obama-style change that represents a mix of socialist and fascist economic policies not new to the planet, but new in their current intensity in America. The Democrats are playing hardball; the Republicans are lobbing mush pounders.
Though not yet in great numbers, some who voted for Obama are now being heard to say that they didn't vote for what's happening. Those confessions illustrate their failure to do due diligence on the candidate of their choice. His intentions were clearly laid out in his campaign documents and in many of his non-primetime speeches.
Click on the this link to read the full story.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
The following article appears on American Thinker.com.
Nationalizing Public Education Comes After Health Care
By Lee Cary
After Congress passes a national health care plan, nationalizing public education will be next.
John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends (1988), said something to the effect that Ronald Reagan wasn't leading the (conservative) parade; he was riding the horse that was leading the parade.
Barack Obama is leading the progressive parade, and his wagon is hitched to a team of horses that includes a compliant Democrat Congress, well-funded liberal think tanks, a shill media, and the collective mindset of a progressive movement active since the early 20th Century.
The Great Depression chaos gave FDR the opportunity to dramatically alter the nation's socio-political landscape. Likewise, the implosion of the credit market in 2008 gave the Obama administration the chaos needed to cram down its progressive initiatives with breathtaking speed.
The Republicans have neither the votes nor the collective will to turn back the tide of Obama-style change that represents a mix of socialist and fascist economic policies not new to the planet, but new in their current intensity in America. The Democrats are playing hardball; the Republicans are lobbing mush pounders.
Though not yet in great numbers, some who voted for Obama are now being heard to say that they didn't vote for what's happening. Those confessions illustrate their failure to do due diligence on the candidate of their choice. His intentions were clearly laid out in his campaign documents and in many of his non-primetime speeches.
Click on the this link to read the full story.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Does only one Croydon School Board Member Represent the People of Croydon?
At the school board meeting this past week two Croydon School Board members authorized more spending in the school budget than was authorized during the town hall meeting. You can guess which two.
In April the three school board members sat down to make the necessary cuts to meet the budget as voted on by the residents at the town hall meeting. Jim suggested a budget that did not cut teachers. Linda and George approved a budget that cut teachers. The teachers and employees of Croydon were not happy with it so at the last two school board meetings they pestered the school board until two caved. Can you guess which two?
Last year by a nearly two to one margin 70 households in Croydon responded to the long term planning committee that they want school choice. Michelle Caccavaro, Marilyn Brannigan, other Newport and SAU employees not happy with this are trying to say the people of Croydon really don't want this and do not know what is best for themselves. Jim was told three times by Newport people and SAU people as well as least once by Carol Marsh and Matt Wittasek that it is his job as a school board member to tell the people of Croydon what they want. Jim said no he represents the people of Croydon. These people clearly appear to not believe in a representative government. So the "we know what is best for you crowd", persuaded George and Linda to have an "information" meeting about how bad leaving Newport will be for Croydon residents. This meeting will probably be nothing but scare tactics, threats, intimidation and propaganda by the "we know what is best for you crowd" because they care more about Croydon tax dollars in their pockets then the desires of all those that expressed they want choice for their families and the residents of Croydon.
Don't think the only care about money. At the school meeting Monday the state representative from the department of ed told us that we could send our children to other schools. A Newport employee questioned even if the child does not go to Newport Schools, Croydon would still have to pay us that child's tuition. See folks Newport only wants our tax dollars they don't care that the majority of residents want choice. They will push until they get what they want unless Croydon residents speak up.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
In April the three school board members sat down to make the necessary cuts to meet the budget as voted on by the residents at the town hall meeting. Jim suggested a budget that did not cut teachers. Linda and George approved a budget that cut teachers. The teachers and employees of Croydon were not happy with it so at the last two school board meetings they pestered the school board until two caved. Can you guess which two?
Last year by a nearly two to one margin 70 households in Croydon responded to the long term planning committee that they want school choice. Michelle Caccavaro, Marilyn Brannigan, other Newport and SAU employees not happy with this are trying to say the people of Croydon really don't want this and do not know what is best for themselves. Jim was told three times by Newport people and SAU people as well as least once by Carol Marsh and Matt Wittasek that it is his job as a school board member to tell the people of Croydon what they want. Jim said no he represents the people of Croydon. These people clearly appear to not believe in a representative government. So the "we know what is best for you crowd", persuaded George and Linda to have an "information" meeting about how bad leaving Newport will be for Croydon residents. This meeting will probably be nothing but scare tactics, threats, intimidation and propaganda by the "we know what is best for you crowd" because they care more about Croydon tax dollars in their pockets then the desires of all those that expressed they want choice for their families and the residents of Croydon.
Don't think the only care about money. At the school meeting Monday the state representative from the department of ed told us that we could send our children to other schools. A Newport employee questioned even if the child does not go to Newport Schools, Croydon would still have to pay us that child's tuition. See folks Newport only wants our tax dollars they don't care that the majority of residents want choice. They will push until they get what they want unless Croydon residents speak up.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
School Meeting - June 8th
Last night I attended the meeting at Town Hall regarding the AREA agreement.
Miscellaneous information and my thoughts from the meeting......
SAU members told Jim three times that it was his job to tell the people of Croydon what they want and what is best for them. Jim responded that we are representatives, not kings. Our job is to do what the people want, not to tell them what they want. The board members either did not understand what Jim was saying or they didn't care. This incident brings to mind a quote:
"The people do not know what they want; they do not know what is the best for them." - Benito Mussolini
I must remind my readers of the Delphi Technique. Delphi is a technique used by educrats to lead the audience into what the educrats want and away from what you want.
Last year a survey of the people of Croydon told the school board by a margin of over two to one that they want choice. Last night's meeting orchestrated by the SAU and not the Croydon School Board seemed intent on informing Croydon that freedom from the Newport monopoly agreement will be nearly impossible and they will do everything in their power to ensure that school choice will never become an option.
The first step is to establish a group to investigate the feasibility of leaving the AREA agreement with Newport. Thanks to the ethically questionable acts of the legislators and educrats the laws are such that you can't just leave the agreement once the contract expires. If the committee recommends leaving the AREA agreement, the town will get to vote on whether to leave the AREA agreement. Once this vote passes, the state must approve the dissolution of the agreement.
This is the twisted world of public education. In a sane world the town would vote at the end of a contract and abide by that vote. The decision would not rest in the hands of some committee or the department of education. Blatant obstructionism at its finest.
When the department of ed representative mentioned the "Best interest of the child" and "Manifest educational hardship", a Newport board member had the gall to suggest that Croydon should remain bound to pay the tuition of any students removed from Newport through these perfectly legal processes. The Croydon crowd groaned and even those who oppose choice were not happy with that comment. I hope my readers can see the greed inherent in such a statement; they simply want our money and don't care about the parents or the taxpayers.
At the meeting Jim Vezina said Croydon was getting a deal on Newport tuition because it is based on the prior years' budget. He also said our tuition is going up a year later because of the raises given at Newport schools. The tax warrant in Newport was not supposed to impact the taxpayers and therefore should not impact Croydon tuition. He stated that the budget is going up 600,000 because of the wage increases but 10 teachers were to be cut to offset those wage increases. So Newport is not going to feel the impact of the wage increases but Croydon is? Either someone is mistaken or Croydon is getting screwed.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Miscellaneous information and my thoughts from the meeting......
SAU members told Jim three times that it was his job to tell the people of Croydon what they want and what is best for them. Jim responded that we are representatives, not kings. Our job is to do what the people want, not to tell them what they want. The board members either did not understand what Jim was saying or they didn't care. This incident brings to mind a quote:
"The people do not know what they want; they do not know what is the best for them." - Benito Mussolini
I must remind my readers of the Delphi Technique. Delphi is a technique used by educrats to lead the audience into what the educrats want and away from what you want.
Last year a survey of the people of Croydon told the school board by a margin of over two to one that they want choice. Last night's meeting orchestrated by the SAU and not the Croydon School Board seemed intent on informing Croydon that freedom from the Newport monopoly agreement will be nearly impossible and they will do everything in their power to ensure that school choice will never become an option.
The first step is to establish a group to investigate the feasibility of leaving the AREA agreement with Newport. Thanks to the ethically questionable acts of the legislators and educrats the laws are such that you can't just leave the agreement once the contract expires. If the committee recommends leaving the AREA agreement, the town will get to vote on whether to leave the AREA agreement. Once this vote passes, the state must approve the dissolution of the agreement.
This is the twisted world of public education. In a sane world the town would vote at the end of a contract and abide by that vote. The decision would not rest in the hands of some committee or the department of education. Blatant obstructionism at its finest.
When the department of ed representative mentioned the "Best interest of the child" and "Manifest educational hardship", a Newport board member had the gall to suggest that Croydon should remain bound to pay the tuition of any students removed from Newport through these perfectly legal processes. The Croydon crowd groaned and even those who oppose choice were not happy with that comment. I hope my readers can see the greed inherent in such a statement; they simply want our money and don't care about the parents or the taxpayers.
At the meeting Jim Vezina said Croydon was getting a deal on Newport tuition because it is based on the prior years' budget. He also said our tuition is going up a year later because of the raises given at Newport schools. The tax warrant in Newport was not supposed to impact the taxpayers and therefore should not impact Croydon tuition. He stated that the budget is going up 600,000 because of the wage increases but 10 teachers were to be cut to offset those wage increases. So Newport is not going to feel the impact of the wage increases but Croydon is? Either someone is mistaken or Croydon is getting screwed.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Greedy Educrats Sue and its about Money, no Surprise There
Governor Mark Sanford did absolutely the right thing when he rejected 700 million dollars in federal stimulus funds. We are in debt in this country to the tune of $200,000 per person. It is irresponsible for any state or city government to accept funds from the federal government when our Country is so far in debt. But greedy educrats sued Governor Mark Sanford and won and now he must take money that he knew was wrong to take.
The only responsible solution to our children and future generations is to cut spending and start paying back our debt now. Our debt level today will take 293 years to payback if no further debt is accumulated. I won't be alive then and I could be like the drunken power hunger Democrats and not care, but I do care as should every responsible American. The stimulus package that Bush approved at the end of his term was not only irresponsible but wrong. The debt that Obama has tacked on is more debt than was accumulated over the last 40 years is wrong. When are sensible Democrats and Republicans going to stand up and say enough is enough? Where are the principles and values being utilized on which this wonderful Country was built?
We must elect people who believe in small government and freedom we must stop electing Democrats and Republicans who believe in big government and the elimination of personal freedom.
Croydon is trying to set itself free from the greed of Newport Schools will the desire for choice by Croydon citizens win over the Greed of some in SAU 43 and some of the Newport School employees? Find out June 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Croydon Town Hall.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Quote of the Day - "... increased spending will bring an insurmountable debt burden on future generations." Governor Mark Sanford
The following piece appears on CNN.
South Carolina governor trumped, must take stimulus money
(CNN) -- South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Gov. Mark Sanford must accept $700 million in federal stimulus money, ending the only formal effort by a governor to reject funding intended to jump-start an ailing economy.
Gov. Mark Sanford became the conservative face of opposition to the federal stimulus package.
The two-term Republican said he would abide by the court ruling, but called it a bad day for South Carolina and the country.
"This decision is terrible news for every taxpayer in South Carolina, and even more so for future taxpayers who will ultimately bear the responsibility of paying for this so-called 'stimulus' without seeing any benefit from it," he said in a statement.
Considered a potential future Republican presidential candidate, Sanford led the party's resistance to the $787 billion stimulus package. He warned the increased spending will bring an insurmountable debt burden on future generations.
Sanford initially tried to require that any stimulus money pay down the state debt, a stance rejected by the Obama administration.
Sanford had resisted taking the money even when the Republican-controlled legislature passed a budget that included the funds.
On Monday, however, a federal judge rejected that effort, and said that the South Carolina Supreme Court must decide what to do.
In its ruling, the state's highest court said the legislature, not Sanford, has the power to decide whether to accept the federal stimulus money.
"At this stage in the process, the Governor certainly has no discretion to make a contradictory decision on behalf of the State," the ruling said. "We hold the Governor must apply for the ... funds." Watch report on Gov. Sanford's policy defeat »
However, the court distanced itself from any role in setting policy on the issue.
"Our decision today should not be construed as a comment on the policy differences between Governor Sanford and the General Assembly respecting the wisdom or necessity of South Carolina accepting the" money, it said. ... "We discharge our duty to honor the rule of law, nothing more."
The ruling was in response to lawsuits filed by two students and a school administrators' association that sought to force the state to accept the stimulus money, some of which will go for education needs.
The only responsible solution to our children and future generations is to cut spending and start paying back our debt now. Our debt level today will take 293 years to payback if no further debt is accumulated. I won't be alive then and I could be like the drunken power hunger Democrats and not care, but I do care as should every responsible American. The stimulus package that Bush approved at the end of his term was not only irresponsible but wrong. The debt that Obama has tacked on is more debt than was accumulated over the last 40 years is wrong. When are sensible Democrats and Republicans going to stand up and say enough is enough? Where are the principles and values being utilized on which this wonderful Country was built?
We must elect people who believe in small government and freedom we must stop electing Democrats and Republicans who believe in big government and the elimination of personal freedom.
Croydon is trying to set itself free from the greed of Newport Schools will the desire for choice by Croydon citizens win over the Greed of some in SAU 43 and some of the Newport School employees? Find out June 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Croydon Town Hall.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Quote of the Day - "... increased spending will bring an insurmountable debt burden on future generations." Governor Mark Sanford
The following piece appears on CNN.
South Carolina governor trumped, must take stimulus money
(CNN) -- South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Gov. Mark Sanford must accept $700 million in federal stimulus money, ending the only formal effort by a governor to reject funding intended to jump-start an ailing economy.
Gov. Mark Sanford became the conservative face of opposition to the federal stimulus package.
The two-term Republican said he would abide by the court ruling, but called it a bad day for South Carolina and the country.
"This decision is terrible news for every taxpayer in South Carolina, and even more so for future taxpayers who will ultimately bear the responsibility of paying for this so-called 'stimulus' without seeing any benefit from it," he said in a statement.
Considered a potential future Republican presidential candidate, Sanford led the party's resistance to the $787 billion stimulus package. He warned the increased spending will bring an insurmountable debt burden on future generations.
Sanford initially tried to require that any stimulus money pay down the state debt, a stance rejected by the Obama administration.
Sanford had resisted taking the money even when the Republican-controlled legislature passed a budget that included the funds.
On Monday, however, a federal judge rejected that effort, and said that the South Carolina Supreme Court must decide what to do.
In its ruling, the state's highest court said the legislature, not Sanford, has the power to decide whether to accept the federal stimulus money.
"At this stage in the process, the Governor certainly has no discretion to make a contradictory decision on behalf of the State," the ruling said. "We hold the Governor must apply for the ... funds." Watch report on Gov. Sanford's policy defeat »
However, the court distanced itself from any role in setting policy on the issue.
"Our decision today should not be construed as a comment on the policy differences between Governor Sanford and the General Assembly respecting the wisdom or necessity of South Carolina accepting the" money, it said. ... "We discharge our duty to honor the rule of law, nothing more."
The ruling was in response to lawsuits filed by two students and a school administrators' association that sought to force the state to accept the stimulus money, some of which will go for education needs.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Yes they can!
Anastasia's Chemistry Quiz.
Click on image to enlarge.
Children are sponges and have the capacity to learn unfortunately that is not a belief that is often held in public schools. At a meeting last year at a Newport School Jim told a teacher that his four year old daughter could read and the teacher insisted she could not. At the Newport Education Foundation meeting someone said that 3rd graders should not have homework because they can not do it. Jim explained that his 4 year old daughter does homework all the time. As you can see from the above Chemistry Quiz Anastasia can do homework. We taught Anastasia to read at three and have made learning fun. Making sure children learn to read by the end of kindergarten or first grade I believe is the key to success in public schools. The problem is they are not teaching them to read and keep passing them from grade to grade even if they can't read.
Hot off the presses is a RAND Study titled Charter Schools Don’t Hurt Traditional Schools. In this study one thing that is clear is the expectations of the teachers make a difference on student performance. If public schools would just expect everyone to succeed maybe their would be more successes in public schools. If you expect mediocrity or failure by certain students that is exactly the outcome that they will get.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Click on image to enlarge.
Children are sponges and have the capacity to learn unfortunately that is not a belief that is often held in public schools. At a meeting last year at a Newport School Jim told a teacher that his four year old daughter could read and the teacher insisted she could not. At the Newport Education Foundation meeting someone said that 3rd graders should not have homework because they can not do it. Jim explained that his 4 year old daughter does homework all the time. As you can see from the above Chemistry Quiz Anastasia can do homework. We taught Anastasia to read at three and have made learning fun. Making sure children learn to read by the end of kindergarten or first grade I believe is the key to success in public schools. The problem is they are not teaching them to read and keep passing them from grade to grade even if they can't read.
Hot off the presses is a RAND Study titled Charter Schools Don’t Hurt Traditional Schools. In this study one thing that is clear is the expectations of the teachers make a difference on student performance. If public schools would just expect everyone to succeed maybe their would be more successes in public schools. If you expect mediocrity or failure by certain students that is exactly the outcome that they will get.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Croydon News
I finally put a link to Gayle Hedrington's column on our links of interest. Her column now appears at Sunacom.com. I miss reading her column in the Eagle Times.
Gayle Hedrington is reporting that there is an SAU 43 meeting June 8th to discuss the area agreement. Why the SAU is involved in our agreement between Newport and Croydon is beyond me. The decision is that of the Croydon School Board and they should follow the wishes of the Croydon taxpayers and voters. Newport's and the SAU's action show not only their level of greed but the state to which they like to bully Croydon taxpayers and parents around. Shame on the whole lot of them. Most parents would choose Newport, but Newport should not be chaining other parents and students to their poorly performing school system.
Cathy Peschke
One Very Upset Croydon Parent and Taxpayer
Gayle Hedrington is reporting that there is an SAU 43 meeting June 8th to discuss the area agreement. Why the SAU is involved in our agreement between Newport and Croydon is beyond me. The decision is that of the Croydon School Board and they should follow the wishes of the Croydon taxpayers and voters. Newport's and the SAU's action show not only their level of greed but the state to which they like to bully Croydon taxpayers and parents around. Shame on the whole lot of them. Most parents would choose Newport, but Newport should not be chaining other parents and students to their poorly performing school system.
Cathy Peschke
One Very Upset Croydon Parent and Taxpayer
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Newport Education Foundation
On Saturday Jim attended the Newport Education Foundation meeting at Richards School. Some of you may have seen the sign for the meeting near the roundabout in town. The sign congratulated Newport Schools on making AYP. At first glance it looked there would be a large crowd. Jim estimated there were only 20 people present; all but three were associated with the school or SAU.
A handout was given to those in attendance. When looking at the flyer mailed out prior to the meeting it appeared they would discuss AYP. This did not happen. Classic Delphi Techniques were used to try to persuade the crowd towards Newport Education Foundation's line of thinking. Since most attendees were part of the educrat crowd little damage was done. Delphi meetings typically employ a "fisherman". This is a person who tries to fish out those who do not agree with the "groupthink" and tries to limit the outsiders impact on the rest of the group.
What's clear from the handout is that this group is an extension of the teachers and/or the unions of Newport School; their goal appears to be getting more money to the school. The group will likely focus a great deal of effort on passing tax increase warrants for the Newport Schools. It does not look like an education reform group where they would focus on having the dollar follow the child instead of the institution or focus on legislation such as getting rid of unfunded mandates, getting rid of tenure or trying to get school choice here in New Hampshire. The group appears to have no intention of scrutinizing the school budget for waste or reducing bureaucratic overhead so that more money is in the classroom where it has the greatest impact on the education of Newport students.
During the meeting numerous suggestions were made as to how to improve academic performance and the response from NEF was we cannot tell the school what to do. But when you read their mission statement they are "dedicated to the improvement and enhancement of the educational opportunities for all Newport students through working in cooperation with the Newport School District to facilitate positive change." When I read the mission statement improving educational opportunities would mean to try to achieve school choice. I don't think that is what the meant but if they do hats off to the NEF. The statement also suggests they intend to try to improve academic performance by telling the school what to do, so which one is it NEF?
Another one of the goals of the NEF is to improve public relations with the community. Improve the educational results and there will be no need to improve public relations with the community it will happen automatically.
I will post more on the NEF later this week.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
A handout was given to those in attendance. When looking at the flyer mailed out prior to the meeting it appeared they would discuss AYP. This did not happen. Classic Delphi Techniques were used to try to persuade the crowd towards Newport Education Foundation's line of thinking. Since most attendees were part of the educrat crowd little damage was done. Delphi meetings typically employ a "fisherman". This is a person who tries to fish out those who do not agree with the "groupthink" and tries to limit the outsiders impact on the rest of the group.
What's clear from the handout is that this group is an extension of the teachers and/or the unions of Newport School; their goal appears to be getting more money to the school. The group will likely focus a great deal of effort on passing tax increase warrants for the Newport Schools. It does not look like an education reform group where they would focus on having the dollar follow the child instead of the institution or focus on legislation such as getting rid of unfunded mandates, getting rid of tenure or trying to get school choice here in New Hampshire. The group appears to have no intention of scrutinizing the school budget for waste or reducing bureaucratic overhead so that more money is in the classroom where it has the greatest impact on the education of Newport students.
During the meeting numerous suggestions were made as to how to improve academic performance and the response from NEF was we cannot tell the school what to do. But when you read their mission statement they are "dedicated to the improvement and enhancement of the educational opportunities for all Newport students through working in cooperation with the Newport School District to facilitate positive change." When I read the mission statement improving educational opportunities would mean to try to achieve school choice. I don't think that is what the meant but if they do hats off to the NEF. The statement also suggests they intend to try to improve academic performance by telling the school what to do, so which one is it NEF?
Another one of the goals of the NEF is to improve public relations with the community. Improve the educational results and there will be no need to improve public relations with the community it will happen automatically.
I will post more on the NEF later this week.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Newport Per Pupil Spending vs. CPI
Click on image to enlarge.
The above chart is cost per-pupil vs Consumer Price Index - CPI. The per-pupil costs were obtained from the New Hampshire Department of Education's website. The NH Department of Education gets their numbers from the Newport School District's Annual Financial Report. I did not break out the elementary, middle school and high school costs I used the total K-12 costs reported in said reports. The CPI information was obtained from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics Inflation Calculator.
If the Newport school district ran the school district in a fiscally responsible manor and kept spending at the rate of inflation over the last ten years Newport would be spending 4128.50 less per student. This would have been a significant cost saving in property taxes for Newport residents.
At the current rate of spending can you imagine what property taxes will be like in 10 years. It is time for fiscally responsible individuals to run for the school board in Newport.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Will Summer School at Newport Schools Improve Student Performance?
In the past has summer school improved Newport student performance? How much will summer school cost Newport taxpayers? If summer school has not shown to improve student performance why continue the program? Will testing be done at the beginning and end of summer school to evaluate program effectiveness? If the program is not effective will Newport terminate said program? I can guarantee one thing Newport Teachers will have more taxpayer dollars in their pocketbooks at the completion of the summer school program.
In a prior post I revealed how summer school unless implemented correctly will not improve student performance. I suggest Newport schools test students at the beginning and at the end of the summer school program if no student performance has been achieved than the teachers are not paid and Newport taxpayer dollars will not have been wasted. If the schools are so confident that this summer school program is so effective they will have no problem accepting this challenge, if not don't waste Newport Taxpayers hard earned dollars.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
A story about the Newport Summer School program appears in the Eagle Times.
In a prior post I revealed how summer school unless implemented correctly will not improve student performance. I suggest Newport schools test students at the beginning and at the end of the summer school program if no student performance has been achieved than the teachers are not paid and Newport taxpayer dollars will not have been wasted. If the schools are so confident that this summer school program is so effective they will have no problem accepting this challenge, if not don't waste Newport Taxpayers hard earned dollars.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
A story about the Newport Summer School program appears in the Eagle Times.
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