From the Philadelphia Daily News. A big urban district has problems that Morrisville will never experience. They do have the same mix of students, staff, school board members, and parents. The last few lines of this story caught my eye. It's good advice for the Emperor and the board of chosen accomplices.
"Parents have a right to be engaged in this process of educating their children and they should exercise it. But they can't exercise it if we turn them away," she said.
"So, the school district has a responsibility to say, 'We want you here.' "
While you're beating down $35.00 expenditures and running up charges on your own tabs, think about the people you'll need later on. The procurement card witch hunts are the most hilarious. Check out Channel 28 for the most recent installment.
Nutter: Parents, city have education roles
By MENSAH M. DEAN, Philadelphia Daily News, Posted on Thu, Sep. 11, 2008
Now that school is back in session, children should not be out after dark as so many often are, Mayor Nutter believes.
They should be at home getting help from their parents with homework, eating nutritious meals and going to bed early enough to be rested and ready for school.
Nutter, the father of a daughter in middle school, plans to say as much this evening during a back-to-basics education speech at South Philadelphia High School, Broad Street and Snyder Avenue.
"I believe that the most critical element to the success of young people in Philadelphia is what adults do," Nutter said yesterday in an interview. "Of course, their first, longest and most consistent teacher will be their parents.
"The schools - teachers, principals and administrators - have a tremendous impact. The business community as well, and certainly elected officials, all have roles to play," he added.
"So I'm going to talk to the citizens of Philadelphia about everyone's different but collective role in improving educational outcomes for kids."
Since taking office in January, Nutter has spoken frequently of two key education goals, and will stress them again this evening: to halve the 45 percent dropout rate within seven years, and to double the number of adults with college degrees over the next decade. Just 18 percent of adults in the city now have four-year degrees.
Toward the dropout goal, Nutter will announce that the school district and the city are preparing to implement an "early-warning system" to stem dropping out among 6th-graders - identified by research as a vulnerable year.
To fund that program and others for at-risk youth, the city will realign more than $200 million now used for after-school, summer and prevention programs, according to a draft of the speech provided by the mayor's office.
On the college front, Nutter will announce the creation of CollegeReady Philadelphia, which will link high-school students to college-preparation programs. Foundation funding is being sought for the program, according to the speech.
To institutions of higher learning, Nutter will propose, as he has previously, that they commit to providing 1,000 scholarships each year to graduating city high-school students.
"If we can get it together and work on our respective tasks, a decade from now, people will be talking about the Philadelphia Miracle, and we'll be more than happy to tell anyone how we did it," according to Nutter's draft.
Education-watchers said the mayor's words are admirable, but he and other city officials must continue working to get more funding for the 165,000-student district.
"He's on the right track," said Greg Wade, president of the Philadelphia Home and School Council, the largest parent group in the city. "Parents need to get involved and get their kids to school on time. But when they get there we need to make sure they are safe and they have books on those desks. That takes an investment."
Gerald Wright, a founding member of Parents United for Public Education, said:
"For what I've heard him say, and the fact that he has appointed people to an education office, it appears that he is serious about education.
"But I'm still waiting for the concrete plan as to how we get more more money to the educational system."
Schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, who will introduce Nutter tonight, said parental involvement at schools is welcomed and necessary.
"Parents have a right to be engaged in this process of educating their children and they should exercise it. But they can't exercise it if we turn them away," she said.
"So, the school district has a responsibility to say, 'We want you here.' "
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Schools News Around the Blogosphere
A Good School Can Revitalize a Downtown
Wall Street Journal By KANE WEBB
Fifth and sixth grades are in the newsroom, middle school dominates the Clinton campaign's War Room, and seventh-graders have the run of the sports department.
Get Pad and Pen: The School Supply List Is Long
New York Times By LISA W. FODERARO
Many schools both poor and prosperous are asking parents to purchase more, and more particular, school supplies.
Students and Schools in Double Blow
New York Times
By SAM DILLON
While school districts struggle with financial problems, record numbers of students turning up for classes this fall are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free meals.
Charter Grade School Documents Its Success
New York Times
By WINNIE HU
One of New Jersey's first charter schools went looking for some of its first students to see if their early experience at a charter school made a difference.
Add It Up: Math Matters
Washington Post
From arithmetic to algebra and beyond, mathematics absorbs a huge amount of class time, and students are pushed to learn more math than ever -- and sooner.
Raising the Bar: How Parents Can Fix Education
The Wall Street Journal
At the start of yet another school year, it's time for some radical change in your local schools -- a specific change that only parents can bring about. What is this miracle that lies within the reach of nearly every family? It's simple. All you have to do is to start insisting that your children fully apply themselves to their studies -- and commit yourself to doing your part. That means making sure they do all the work expected of them as well as their abilities allow. It also means making sure everything at home stands behind these principles and supports the idea of learning.
Wall Street Journal By KANE WEBB
Fifth and sixth grades are in the newsroom, middle school dominates the Clinton campaign's War Room, and seventh-graders have the run of the sports department.
Get Pad and Pen: The School Supply List Is Long
New York Times By LISA W. FODERARO
Many schools both poor and prosperous are asking parents to purchase more, and more particular, school supplies.
Students and Schools in Double Blow
New York Times
By SAM DILLON
While school districts struggle with financial problems, record numbers of students turning up for classes this fall are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free meals.
Charter Grade School Documents Its Success
New York Times
By WINNIE HU
One of New Jersey's first charter schools went looking for some of its first students to see if their early experience at a charter school made a difference.
Add It Up: Math Matters
Washington Post
From arithmetic to algebra and beyond, mathematics absorbs a huge amount of class time, and students are pushed to learn more math than ever -- and sooner.
Raising the Bar: How Parents Can Fix Education
The Wall Street Journal
At the start of yet another school year, it's time for some radical change in your local schools -- a specific change that only parents can bring about. What is this miracle that lies within the reach of nearly every family? It's simple. All you have to do is to start insisting that your children fully apply themselves to their studies -- and commit yourself to doing your part. That means making sure they do all the work expected of them as well as their abilities allow. It also means making sure everything at home stands behind these principles and supports the idea of learning.
10 Coolest Small Towns
Courtesy of msnbc.com
Imagine if we had a borough council with vision AND the concerned citizenry to support any of these objectives.
Here's the top five. Check out the link to see the next five. This is what Morrisville COULD be like. Instead, we settle for less than even second best.
10 coolest small towns
updated 9:58 a.m. ET, Fri., Sept. 12, 2008
These towns all have fewer than 10,000 people—but they can rival larger cities when it comes to good food, culture, and quality of life.
1. Port Jervis, N.Y.
By Karen Tina Harrison
Population: 9,161
Nearest city: New York, 93 miles
Priced out of New York City by rising rents, many artists and shopkeepers are moving to this old railroad and canal hub on the Delaware River. "You can own a house with real character at a price that's unheard of downstate," says Mark Washburn, who opened an arts and crafts furniture store, Bungalow Antiques & Unusuals, with his partner, Billy Stephens, last year (80 Front St., 845/858-8021).
Cheap commercial real estate also attracted Gordon Graff and Debbie Raia. They started a gallery, UpFront Exhibition Space, four months ago to showcase the works of emerging artists and to host poetry and short-story readings (31 Jersey Ave., 845/856-2666, upfrontexhibitionspace.blogspot.com). The couple also owns Twenty Seven Gallery, an antiques store up the street (27 Front St., 845/856-2727).
Visitors can stay at the 1880s Erie Hotel, which has nine single rooms (9 Jersey Ave., 845/858-4100, $70). The best dining option is Restaurant at 20 Front, housed in a neoclassical former bank. Chef Daniel Weber cooks American dishes like chorizo-stuffed pork chops and butternut squash risotto (20 Front St., 845/856-8955, twentyfront.com, pork chops $24).
2. Manitou Springs, Colo.
By Sharlene Johnson
Population: 5,038
Nearest city: Colorado Springs, 6 miles
One of the things Fred Mutter loves most about Manitou Springs, where he relocated three years ago, is that its residents come from all walks of life. "There's a huge range of people who live here, from scientists and businessmen to new-age hippies," he says. "It's really an eclectic group." His store fits right in: Kinfolks Mountain Shop sells outdoor gear, but it's also a bar and live-music venue (950 Manitou Ave., 719/685-4433, kinfolksmanitou.com). In fact, you won't find any chain stores in the Victorian-era buildings crammed into the narrow valley at the foot of Pikes Peak.
WeUsOur Artists Market has unusual art on display, such as giant pottery teapots and portraits painted with coffee (10 Ruxton Ave., 719/685-9702), while Cripple Creek Dulcimers & Guitars is run by a tie-dye-wearing former mayor, Bud Ford, who bears a striking resemblance to the late Jerry Garcia (740 Manitou Ave., 719/685-9655, dulcimer.net).
At The Maté Factor café, wraps of hormone-free turkey share the menu with maté, a beverage popular in South America (966 Manitou Ave., 719/685-3235, matefactor.com, wrap $5). Last year, the town's 19th-century former bathhouse was renovated into lofts and a restaurant, Adam's Mountain Café, which offers a hodgepodge of cuisines, including African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian (934 Manitou Ave., 719/685-1430, adamsmountain.com, jerked chicken $19).
3. Yellow Springs, Ohio
By Peter Mandel
Population: 3,675
Nearest city: Dayton, 21 miles
Yellow Springs has been a beacon for artists, activists, and creative thinkers since progressive Antioch College opened in 1852. "You can breathe here and feel very comfortable expressing yourself," says Kim Korkan, co-owner of The Winds Cafe & Bakery, which serves dishes using ingredients mostly from local farms (215 Xenia Ave., 937/767-1144, windscafe.com, rhubarb halibut $24).
Although the college was forced to close this summer because of financial problems, Yellow Springs is thriving: The main drag, Xenia Avenue, is lined with shops, cafés, restaurants, and galleries. No Common Scents sells more than 250 varieties of herbs and spices from across the globe (1525 Xenia Ave., 937/767-4261, nocommonscents.com), and Clemente Ullmer's shop, La Llama Place, is stocked with crafts from South America (224 Xenia Ave., 937/767-8650, lallamaplace.com).
Across town, the Yellow Springs Dharma Center, a Buddhist retreat draped in Tibetan prayer flags, holds meditation and chanting sessions (502 Livermore St., 937/767-9919, ysdharma.org). Public art has taken on a new meaning in the town, as well. One day, knitting appeared wrapped around a tree downtown, and soon passersby were bringing yarn to add to it. Now, the signposts up and down Xenia Avenue are covered with knitted "graffiti."
4. Mazomanie, Wis.
By Erik Torkells
Population: 1,522
Nearest city: Madison, 24 miles
"I got tired of driving through a ghost town," says Bob Brumley when asked why he founded his artists' co-op, the Iron Horse Gallery (18 E. Hudson St., 608/795-2789, ironhorsegallery.org). The co-op began in 2006 with five artists and now has 18—as well as a café, A Better Buzz. Mazo (may-zoh) is chockablock with artists, many of whom were drawn here by the historic downtown and cheap real estate. "You can't swing a stick in these hills without hitting an artist," says Brumley.
Along with galleries, Mazo boasts the Mazomanie Historic Arts Center (103 Crescent St., 608/575-9390, mazoart.com) and Mazomanie Movement Arts Center, a dance studio with a circus camp (2 Brodhead St., 608/795-0014, mazomac.com). Even the Wall Street Gallery & Bistro exhibits artwork (14 Brodhead St., 608/576-6694, wallstreetgallery.com, pastas from $15). But there's more to life than art.
You can buy Wisconsin-made souvenirs at Walter's General Store (34 Brodhead St., 608/795-4455); stay at the Walking Iron B&B, an 1865 Italianate house (21 State St., 877/572-9877, walkingiron.com, from $90); and rent bicycles at ProCycle (30 Brodhead St., 608/795-0019, procyclebikes.com). Ask politely and the staff might tell you how to get to the clothing-optional Mazo Beach—or Bare-Ass Beach, as it's known among some in town.
5. Point Reyes Station, Calif.
By Scott Hutchins
Population: 818
Nearest city: San Francisco, 39 miles
The dilemma in Point Reyes Station is what to do first: explore Point Reyes National Seashore (415/464-5100, nps.gov/pore) or just wander around and eat. At Toby's Feed Barn, second-generation owner Christian Giacomini runs a farmers market, gallery, and yoga studio, while still selling hay and salt licks. Also inside, the baristas at Toby's CoffeeBar pour cappuccinos with rippled hearts in the foam (11250 Hwy. 1, 415/663-1223, tobysfeedbarn.com).
Nearby, Cowgirl Creamery produces excellent soft-ripened cheeses, such as the Pierce Point, which is made from organic whole milk, washed in organic Riesling, and rolled in herbs (80 Fourth St., 415/663-9335, cowgirlcreamery.com). When you're ready to experience some nature, Chicago native Laurie Manarik leads hiking trips to see seal pups and conducts nighttime kayaking excursions to check out bioluminescence in nearby Tomales Bay (Point Reyes Outdoors, 11401 Hwy. 1, 415/663-8192, pointreyesoutdoors.com).
The bay's oysters, it must be said, are the best around. Eat them where locals do—up the road at The Marshall Store (19225 Hwy. 1, 415/663-1339, themarshallstore.com). The beautiful scenery may make you want to put down roots. "After my first visit after college, I spent the rest of my life figuring out how to live here," Manarik says.
Imagine if we had a borough council with vision AND the concerned citizenry to support any of these objectives.
Here's the top five. Check out the link to see the next five. This is what Morrisville COULD be like. Instead, we settle for less than even second best.
10 coolest small towns
updated 9:58 a.m. ET, Fri., Sept. 12, 2008
These towns all have fewer than 10,000 people—but they can rival larger cities when it comes to good food, culture, and quality of life.
1. Port Jervis, N.Y.
By Karen Tina Harrison
Population: 9,161
Nearest city: New York, 93 miles
Priced out of New York City by rising rents, many artists and shopkeepers are moving to this old railroad and canal hub on the Delaware River. "You can own a house with real character at a price that's unheard of downstate," says Mark Washburn, who opened an arts and crafts furniture store, Bungalow Antiques & Unusuals, with his partner, Billy Stephens, last year (80 Front St., 845/858-8021).
Cheap commercial real estate also attracted Gordon Graff and Debbie Raia. They started a gallery, UpFront Exhibition Space, four months ago to showcase the works of emerging artists and to host poetry and short-story readings (31 Jersey Ave., 845/856-2666, upfrontexhibitionspace.blogspot.com). The couple also owns Twenty Seven Gallery, an antiques store up the street (27 Front St., 845/856-2727).
Visitors can stay at the 1880s Erie Hotel, which has nine single rooms (9 Jersey Ave., 845/858-4100, $70). The best dining option is Restaurant at 20 Front, housed in a neoclassical former bank. Chef Daniel Weber cooks American dishes like chorizo-stuffed pork chops and butternut squash risotto (20 Front St., 845/856-8955, twentyfront.com, pork chops $24).
2. Manitou Springs, Colo.
By Sharlene Johnson
Population: 5,038
Nearest city: Colorado Springs, 6 miles
One of the things Fred Mutter loves most about Manitou Springs, where he relocated three years ago, is that its residents come from all walks of life. "There's a huge range of people who live here, from scientists and businessmen to new-age hippies," he says. "It's really an eclectic group." His store fits right in: Kinfolks Mountain Shop sells outdoor gear, but it's also a bar and live-music venue (950 Manitou Ave., 719/685-4433, kinfolksmanitou.com). In fact, you won't find any chain stores in the Victorian-era buildings crammed into the narrow valley at the foot of Pikes Peak.
WeUsOur Artists Market has unusual art on display, such as giant pottery teapots and portraits painted with coffee (10 Ruxton Ave., 719/685-9702), while Cripple Creek Dulcimers & Guitars is run by a tie-dye-wearing former mayor, Bud Ford, who bears a striking resemblance to the late Jerry Garcia (740 Manitou Ave., 719/685-9655, dulcimer.net).
At The Maté Factor café, wraps of hormone-free turkey share the menu with maté, a beverage popular in South America (966 Manitou Ave., 719/685-3235, matefactor.com, wrap $5). Last year, the town's 19th-century former bathhouse was renovated into lofts and a restaurant, Adam's Mountain Café, which offers a hodgepodge of cuisines, including African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian (934 Manitou Ave., 719/685-1430, adamsmountain.com, jerked chicken $19).
3. Yellow Springs, Ohio
By Peter Mandel
Population: 3,675
Nearest city: Dayton, 21 miles
Yellow Springs has been a beacon for artists, activists, and creative thinkers since progressive Antioch College opened in 1852. "You can breathe here and feel very comfortable expressing yourself," says Kim Korkan, co-owner of The Winds Cafe & Bakery, which serves dishes using ingredients mostly from local farms (215 Xenia Ave., 937/767-1144, windscafe.com, rhubarb halibut $24).
Although the college was forced to close this summer because of financial problems, Yellow Springs is thriving: The main drag, Xenia Avenue, is lined with shops, cafés, restaurants, and galleries. No Common Scents sells more than 250 varieties of herbs and spices from across the globe (1525 Xenia Ave., 937/767-4261, nocommonscents.com), and Clemente Ullmer's shop, La Llama Place, is stocked with crafts from South America (224 Xenia Ave., 937/767-8650, lallamaplace.com).
Across town, the Yellow Springs Dharma Center, a Buddhist retreat draped in Tibetan prayer flags, holds meditation and chanting sessions (502 Livermore St., 937/767-9919, ysdharma.org). Public art has taken on a new meaning in the town, as well. One day, knitting appeared wrapped around a tree downtown, and soon passersby were bringing yarn to add to it. Now, the signposts up and down Xenia Avenue are covered with knitted "graffiti."
4. Mazomanie, Wis.
By Erik Torkells
Population: 1,522
Nearest city: Madison, 24 miles
"I got tired of driving through a ghost town," says Bob Brumley when asked why he founded his artists' co-op, the Iron Horse Gallery (18 E. Hudson St., 608/795-2789, ironhorsegallery.org). The co-op began in 2006 with five artists and now has 18—as well as a café, A Better Buzz. Mazo (may-zoh) is chockablock with artists, many of whom were drawn here by the historic downtown and cheap real estate. "You can't swing a stick in these hills without hitting an artist," says Brumley.
Along with galleries, Mazo boasts the Mazomanie Historic Arts Center (103 Crescent St., 608/575-9390, mazoart.com) and Mazomanie Movement Arts Center, a dance studio with a circus camp (2 Brodhead St., 608/795-0014, mazomac.com). Even the Wall Street Gallery & Bistro exhibits artwork (14 Brodhead St., 608/576-6694, wallstreetgallery.com, pastas from $15). But there's more to life than art.
You can buy Wisconsin-made souvenirs at Walter's General Store (34 Brodhead St., 608/795-4455); stay at the Walking Iron B&B, an 1865 Italianate house (21 State St., 877/572-9877, walkingiron.com, from $90); and rent bicycles at ProCycle (30 Brodhead St., 608/795-0019, procyclebikes.com). Ask politely and the staff might tell you how to get to the clothing-optional Mazo Beach—or Bare-Ass Beach, as it's known among some in town.
5. Point Reyes Station, Calif.
By Scott Hutchins
Population: 818
Nearest city: San Francisco, 39 miles
The dilemma in Point Reyes Station is what to do first: explore Point Reyes National Seashore (415/464-5100, nps.gov/pore) or just wander around and eat. At Toby's Feed Barn, second-generation owner Christian Giacomini runs a farmers market, gallery, and yoga studio, while still selling hay and salt licks. Also inside, the baristas at Toby's CoffeeBar pour cappuccinos with rippled hearts in the foam (11250 Hwy. 1, 415/663-1223, tobysfeedbarn.com).
Nearby, Cowgirl Creamery produces excellent soft-ripened cheeses, such as the Pierce Point, which is made from organic whole milk, washed in organic Riesling, and rolled in herbs (80 Fourth St., 415/663-9335, cowgirlcreamery.com). When you're ready to experience some nature, Chicago native Laurie Manarik leads hiking trips to see seal pups and conducts nighttime kayaking excursions to check out bioluminescence in nearby Tomales Bay (Point Reyes Outdoors, 11401 Hwy. 1, 415/663-8192, pointreyesoutdoors.com).
The bay's oysters, it must be said, are the best around. Eat them where locals do—up the road at The Marshall Store (19225 Hwy. 1, 415/663-1339, themarshallstore.com). The beautiful scenery may make you want to put down roots. "After my first visit after college, I spent the rest of my life figuring out how to live here," Manarik says.
“But that’s politics in this area.”
From the BCCT today. I regretfully expect that in the not too far distant future, an article similar to this will use the words "Morrisville" and "Yonson".
Superintendent finalist for job
Neshaminy’s superintendent appears to be the lone finalist for an identical position in Connecticut, and he says he plans to continue his job hunt.
“It is important that both the superintendent and board share similar expectations and priorities, and lacking those similarities, it is in my and the board’s best interest that I move on to another school district,” Paul Kadri said in an e-mail Friday.
On Tuesday, Kadri, 43, notified the school board he is a superintendent finalist in the 5,200-student Groton Public School district, roughly half the size of Neshaminy.
No details were available Friday. Groton board members are planning to visit Neshaminy on Monday, according to a Connecticut newspaper.
Earlier this year, Kadri was a finalist for a superintendent position in Michigan.
The district hired Kadri in 2006 under a four-year contract. His salary last year was $170,000.
“I have tremendous respect for all who make up the Neshaminy community,” he wrote in the e-mail. “Over the past two-plus years, we have been able to achieve much success in helping to strengthen the present condition of the school system and position it for success in the future.
Recently, Kadri has expressed frustration with board members over what he described as a lack of direction and job expectations.
Kadri said he and the school board regret the process of his seeking a job in another district will become public. He assured his job hunt will not become a “detrimental distraction” to the district.
Board member William O’Connor said he’s saddened Kadri feels he must leave.
“Despite being successful in his job and having tremendous community support, Mr. Kadri has been undermined in his efforts for the past two years,” O’Connor said. “But that’s politics in this area.”
Superintendent finalist for job
Neshaminy’s superintendent appears to be the lone finalist for an identical position in Connecticut, and he says he plans to continue his job hunt.
“It is important that both the superintendent and board share similar expectations and priorities, and lacking those similarities, it is in my and the board’s best interest that I move on to another school district,” Paul Kadri said in an e-mail Friday.
On Tuesday, Kadri, 43, notified the school board he is a superintendent finalist in the 5,200-student Groton Public School district, roughly half the size of Neshaminy.
No details were available Friday. Groton board members are planning to visit Neshaminy on Monday, according to a Connecticut newspaper.
Earlier this year, Kadri was a finalist for a superintendent position in Michigan.
The district hired Kadri in 2006 under a four-year contract. His salary last year was $170,000.
“I have tremendous respect for all who make up the Neshaminy community,” he wrote in the e-mail. “Over the past two-plus years, we have been able to achieve much success in helping to strengthen the present condition of the school system and position it for success in the future.
Recently, Kadri has expressed frustration with board members over what he described as a lack of direction and job expectations.
Kadri said he and the school board regret the process of his seeking a job in another district will become public. He assured his job hunt will not become a “detrimental distraction” to the district.
Board member William O’Connor said he’s saddened Kadri feels he must leave.
“Despite being successful in his job and having tremendous community support, Mr. Kadri has been undermined in his efforts for the past two years,” O’Connor said. “But that’s politics in this area.”
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