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Louis Educe May 7, 2013 at 02:37 pm
In the district I work for the Ed foundation raised funds to help buy each of the Elementary schools…Read More a 36 PC laptop cart, which will be used in rooms as well as set up in a "lab" room for testing in the future. We are also utilizing some of our Title I / SCE /LEP funds to buy half (with district picking up the other half) of another desktop lab which will replace an older lab not able to run the new testing. the "old" lab desktops will be moved into classrooms to enable classes to have centers for keyboard practice. The burden of getting the technology set up is on the districts and sites (it really is an example of an Unfunded mandate) I would NEVER just "assume" the technology will be coming - PTAs, SSCs, and other parent groups need to lobby the district for their sites! FYI for the first two years there will be an option for "paper/pencil" versions for districts unable to get things going in time - but as these are non-adaptive or interactive, their results will be less valid.
ALSO - I agree the initial "sample" items were not too impressive - the pilot tests we gave were MUCH improved - I look forward to seeing the new sample items/test posted later in May on the Smarter Balanced site.
navigio May 6, 2013 at 07:30 pm
it would be helpful for districts to explain how they will mesh technology requirements with the…Read More more general desire to have computers in schools. will schools without computers, or lower numbers of them be able to assume those will be coming as result of the adaptive testing? supposedly there are some technology grants intended to support this, but it is unclear when they will be available and how much they will be. its still embarassing that computer literacy is not a required aspect of public education in this day and age.
fwiw, i took some of these tests for fun a while back and was not impressed. smarter balanced is just a euphimism for 'business opportunity'. hopefully that will change...
Louis Educe May 6, 2013 at 02:49 pm
Also - here is the link for the CDE's press release which discusses the new testing and changes for…Read More next year's CST/STAR (no 2nd grade testing, no 5th science, not 8th Soc Sci or Sci, less "end of course" CST tests at the High schools)
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr13/yr13rel52.asp
pusddad April 19, 2013 at 04:33 pm
I always questioned whether or not this subdistricting would produce more latino representation on…Read More the school board. It turns out it hasn't, at least in the short run. There may be an unintended benefit I did not think about until I watched the election returns. Andre Coleman and Barry Nelson were discussing how the Pasadena city council became much more civil and harmonious after it switched to subdistrict representation. The members had to learn to work with each other to get things done for their individual sub-districts. Maybe that will happen with the school board.
adame April 18, 2013 at 07:51 am
Is Ruben Hueso, the "void latino" James Figeuroa (writer for Pasadena Star News and…Read More Mercury News-San Jose) speak of often in his most recent articles?
Hueso was easily defeated by Tyron Hampton (www.tyronhampton.com), because it seems he was endorsed by the community rather than by outside Corporate interests and the Democratic Party, which were bent on making this a partisan race and ethnic race between a below average (see LA TIMES article) school teacher versus a local, like Tyron Hampton. Mr. Hampton knocked on the doors of the community, while his opponent and company spent thousands employing family and "friends" to run an ineffective and unfocused campaign.
Buzlightyear aka marty March 3, 2013 at 01:35 am
Gene Stevenson...I was making fun of Obama going around telling us the sky is falling.
Obama did…Read More decline the offer to be selective of which cuts ti make.
He is going around the country campaigning instead of working for a solution.
The sequestor, I believe was his idea, and he did sign the bill.
So the cuts at this moment in time ---- owned by him
The impeachable comment....O.K. I don't know. Maybe I had a little too much coffee.
It is not a comment that would inspire both sides to work together. But then neither is the presidents.
The BIG issue. The REAL elephant in the room? It is the debt. We can blame one side or the other. The problem is systemic, societal, and the natural coming full circle with fiat currency. Every fiat currency system in history has ended with a collapse of the currency.
It is too long to give details.
And really, if the government can't come together on how to handle LESS OF A RISE IN SPENDING (which is all this is), abdolutely no way will the budget get real. Outside market forces will bring the inevitable The dollar will collapse. This will be the first worldwide problem of this sort. I pulled my money out of stocks in 1999, and moved it to gold, and metals.
The link is a guy who has been calling all of this before events happen like no one else. And he is not selling anything.I just looked, don't get turned off by the Obama cartoon, He hits boths sides
http://www.jsmineset.com/
Gene Stevenson March 2, 2013 at 04:05 pm
Gitinjiggywitit's argument or their "Facts" for the country's predicament is as confusing…Read More as their handle. Not sure what their news source is or if, in fact, they have one at all. Obama, the Great Boogeyman, is not the problem. It's that do-nothing Elephant in the room, Gitin. Oh, sorry! All of the Elephants have gone home? Oh, well, Gitin’s right on one account, though. A review of the facts (not the FOX) on Gitin’s part is definitely in order. Hopefully, Gitin's getting busy!
Mark March 1, 2013 at 06:39 pm
I totally agree with gitinjiggywitit's comments. The average citizen would not believe the waste…Read More that occurs in all levels of government, I should know I was responible for a large city department budget. If you run your household budget like the government runs there's you would most like be broke or in jail for fraud. But what do they care it not there money being spent. That is how some city administrators act.
navigio March 7, 2013 at 04:01 pm
And to be clear, my goal is not to deflect any blame from the district. There is clearly a lot that…Read More belongs there. But things will not improve by people running away or further hindering their abilities.
I recently re-read Lord of the Flies (again--incredible prose btw) and there was a short blurb at the end from an interview with Golding about the book. He put it incredibly succinctly, "the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." I am an optimist, so I dont view that as a defeatist point of view, rather as an opportunity to understand the things that can be improved upon. Can we improve in spite of human nature? I think so, because human nature is a complex, not singular force. But the sure way to succumb to those flaws is to not realize that they are flaws, or that they even exist.
IMHO, anyway.
navigio March 7, 2013 at 03:54 pm
Is it wrong because it wont work, or is it wrong in principle? The area around McKinley is one that…Read More I believe could mostly care less that they had access to a public school. I think thats why you saw what happened happen. Same applies to Blair I guess.
Although I would respect the principle argument, I think pasadena schools will fail without community support. An area where 30%-40% of all kids go to private school (and take most of their financial and logistical support right along with them) is clearly going to have a school system that does not match the expectations of those who chose against it. Its clearly valid to make the arguments for leaving, but having left, its as easy to see what impact that has on the system and the remaining kids. I think the district has a responsibility to think about how to address (correct?) that, if it can. I wont argue that their methods were the right ones, but I cant see how they would be responsible to ignore their own community's resources. Especially this community's.
Most public districts are challenged by volunteer and financial resources. PUSD is extreme in that most all of those who would be most involved (in both ways) have been extracted from the community, in a sense. We are lucky to have many die-hard parents and community members who put in herculean efforts (luckily some are also quite well-off), but its almost a losing battle when they have to essentially work in spite of the beat-down from the community.
navigio March 7, 2013 at 03:40 pm
The TT issue is very complex. I know I dont need to explain facilities stuff to you. :-) But I think…Read More the failure lies more with outside consultants than with 'standard' PUSD staff. I do think some board members share responsibility given they are the ones eventually overseeing everything, and more importantly, because they approved the useless COC. I am still surprised that more of the public is not outraged at the lack of oversight by the 'oversight committee'. Of course, there is a lot of money to be had there, and the community also benefits from that, so that's probably why. It should not go unnoticed, imho, that measure TT passed but measure CC failed. TT was a way for the community to make money off of schools. CC was a way for schools to get money from the community. It should be clear where the 'voting' priorities lie.
Vince February 14, 2013 at 02:26 pm
Quote:
Carol Stull
9:13 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
"Real history - not made up…Read More desertpatriot stuff. Public opinion poll worst president
ever - Geo W Bush followed by Harry Truman."
****
I was gonna say this is Bush's fault but I didn't wanna get yelled at for posting stuff that has no bearing on a Knee Grow getting barbeque'd... Best I recall, it was either Bush or that Aussie guy whut rassles crocodiles (name'a "Crocodile Undies" was it?) whut did the commercial where he said: "Toss another Knee Grow on the barbie"...or something like that, yeah?
Carol Stull February 14, 2013 at 02:13 pm
Real history - not made up desertpatriot stuff. Public opinion poll worst president
ever - Geo W…Read More Bush followed by Harry Truman.
beaumontdave February 14, 2013 at 03:05 am
Their all still alive, the families involved, so I don't know about wishing them to rest in peace,…Read More maybe just wishing for peace for them.
Louis Educe February 7, 2013 at 01:03 am
nice coverage of this story in the StarNews.…Read More
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_22535901/pasadena-school-officials-offer-words-but-not-bond
D Shelley February 5, 2013 at 08:03 pm
Recall Ed Honowitz. Sierra Madre needs local representation on the board.
Ivan G January 28, 2013 at 10:49 pm
To D Shelley:
It is every bit as logical as boycotting stores that sell guns and ammunition.…Read More True, there are some people who do not appear to be harmed by eating these products, just as there are some people who smoke and live to be 90. Equally, the vast majority of our population is not harmed by a firearm, and some benefit from firearms. (For example, some people have fended off home invasions.)
Research is very clear that butterfat consumption promotes high cholesterol and heart disease in the population at large. In fact, whole milk and 2% milk are banned from school luch programs. If the goal is to save lives, boycotting stores that sell whole milk (or tobacco products) would be more productive.
D Shelley January 28, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Louis, FYI all classroom doors at Jefferson, in the fairly new construction area open IN to the…Read More classrooms from interior hallways except for a couple near the principal's office that open OUT onto a narrow hallway. The doors that open out are across from restrooms and the nurse's office that also have doorways that open out. When everyone tries to exit at the same time (like in a fire) the hallway is virtually blocked by doors. There are also huge windows on the inside with no blinds which allows anyone strolling down the hallway (carrying a gun) to see inside the classroom (nowhere to hide). A few years back, a Pasadena police officer came in and advised teachers to paper over the interior windows with decorations and work with their doors locked. The officer likened the school layout to a "shooting gallery". The next year, the new principal, Hoori Chalian, ordered teachers to tear down the paper and to not ever lock their doors when they were teaching so that she wouldn't have to bother taking her keys out to enter the room. When teachers objected to tearing down the paper, they were told that they would be written up if they left it up or locked their doors. (Of course the Ms. Chalian immediately ordered heavy curtains for HER interior windows and always worked with her door CLOSED AND LOCKED!!!) As the Pasadena police officer told us, "In the PUSD, it's not a matter of IF, it's a matter of WHEN!" The very next week, Blair went into lock down over a gun on campus.
Cara Bryant January 26, 2013 at 02:01 pm
Actually, the lice shampoo didn't work for us at all, but this worked great, and was much less toxic…Read More than the shampoo option: http://www.nuvoforheadlice.com
Also, our school said my son could go back to school as soon as he was treated, and they did not check for nits, nor do they have a no nits policy.
lawrence rober January 30, 2013 at 01:05 am
I've had firsthand experience with Jim Leveque and I wouldn't let him build a doghouse much less a…Read More elementary school. He is no more honest or trustworthy than the people they are already getting bids from. I suggest you look elsewhere to find a reputable contractor.
kitinhills January 28, 2013 at 09:26 pm
I was kind of puzzled myself at the picture of the Elementary school and what it had to do with the…Read More story. Whoever supplies photos on here obviously doesn't live in town.
D Shelley January 27, 2013 at 02:26 am
Just curious, Patch... Why are you using a picture of Sierra Madre Elementary School to illustrate…Read More this article? Why not show a picture of the middle school's temporary structures and the empty lot? That's what the story is about. Last time I checked, an illustration or photo should go with the story.
E. Clipsed January 15, 2013 at 03:49 am
If the Patch actually has someone in Sierra Madre anymore it would realize that Sierra Madre has…Read More been illegally excluded from participating in this election. While most PUSD subdistricts will have candidates in 2013, Sierra Madre is not allowed to participate until 2015. Meaning we will not have the caliber of representation that other districts will have, a bad thing when you consider that the Measure TT bond money being divvied up will be done so by people who could care less about our kids.
Please, do this town a favor and remove Sierra Madre from your masthead.
Cooper Re-Elected as PUSD Board President
0 Recommend Redmond Carolipio (Editor)