Second of two parts
Previously, “A School Board Candidate Ruminates After Latest Showing”
Another question in last Thursday night’s School Board Candidates Forum at City Hall was:
“What would you do to make funding equal for all schools?”
Do not remember what I said. But I’ll tell you what I was thinking, “Robin Hood.”
One question that doomed to be dismissed by all the other candidates was one concern, charter schools.
Consensus was that it was only for schools that failed.
Since Culver City schools are the top in what?
It has never been clear what they mean by “quality schools.” They all agreed that it was not something that needed to be addressed at this time.
One minute.
Locke High School was one of the 50 LAUSD failing schools that has been taken over by Mayor Villaraigosa’s charter syndication.
A year later, Locke was able to hire 43 additional new teachers, and the school has increased security by spending a couple hundred thousand dollars.
Charter schools are publicly funded but independently managed.
Free of some regulations that govern traditional schools.
Not required to be unionized.
Do not know all of the details.
Think it would be worth exploring. Time up.
Aware that there are 250 new schools up for grabs in the LAUSD, so there is much motivation for the syndication to showcase Locke.
It is a very old business practice.
Put a lot a resources into a prototype to make it successful to get the market share.
“Independent Willows Community School Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary.”
Willows Isn’t Weeping
Willows serves kindergarten through the eighth grade in Culver City. A school of innovation and progressive education is a natural fit with vibrant, dynamic Culver City.
Community school first opened its doors in 1994 with 98 children, kindergarten through the fifth grade, housed in one building.
Student body has since quadrupled. Willows is housed on a campus compromised of four buildings.
Noteworthy: The Culver City Fire Dept. uses their state of the art gymnasium for their basketball games.
Question from last Thursday:
What core skills would a student need to get a job without a college degree? (My interpretation of the question.)
My response: Learn to read and write.
(Forgot to mention know how to count to at least a 100 so you might be able to give change for a dollar.)
Kathy Paspalis’s response was that it was obvious that you needed to read and write, and then added, to balance a checkbook.
Now the clinker question:
What would you do with the royalties from drilling in the Baldwin Hills oil field?
Responding that it is tied up in litigation, but that you would need to talk to Mr. “Z,” Robert Zirgulis. I was serious. So Ms. Paspalis punted it to him.
Getting Acquainted
He was another happy soul. You should know his story by now. Just in case you have been out of the country for two months, I will give you:
http://www.thefrontpageonline.com/new/articles1-6254/ZirgulisIssuesaChallengetoRivalsintheSchoolBoardRace
Clincher question:
“What makes you different from rest?”
Tell the truth. Don’t lie, and strictly for the kids and teachers.
Following me was Ms. Paspalis.
I did not clearly hear what she said, but it sounded like “attorneys don’t lie.”
Then anyone supporting Measure EE, the parcel tax, should be willing to testify under oath that it can do all those things claimed.
Isn’t there a law regarding truth in advertising?
The schools have not been maintained properly (before budget cuts) and will be facing a major expense if the negligence is allowed to continue.
See it every day.
No candidate is addressing these concerns.
There has been a suggestion about raiding the maintenance $5 million to $6 million cache to help reduce the deficit.
One slight problem is that it would have to be repaid in one year (by law).
Been informed that was money left over from the 1996 $40 million voter-approved bond to renovate and upgrade the deplorable condition of the schools. History, will it repeat itself?
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-31/local/me-59773_1_school-bond-measure
The Candidates Forum was awkward for most of us.
This Takes Practice
Unless you have honed your canned speech down to perfection, you are at the mercy of luck of the draw.
Never been much of a public speaker any way.
But having to elaborate on a subject you have no interest in or little knowledge of is humbling.
Going up against professional orators (who do this for a living) is tough.
Just glad that I wasn’t the only one fumbling.
Never proclaimed to be the education candidate.
I leave that to the professionals in the District office. People like Dr. Cote and her staff are capable of handling the educational part.
My profession is business owner, registered nurse, attorney assistant, financial advisor and “Volunteer of the Year.”
In the classroom daily, 2 to 4 hours. My objective is to let you know what is happening in the classroom.
Have a different perspective than the usual classroom aide.
My youngest son has the same teacher my oldest son had eight years ago. What a difference eight years make. Atmosphere is strangely different. After three weeks, these kids are still unruly. They have improved some because of a system I have implemented to inform the parents.
It is amazing that parents think you are talking about someone else’s kid. Not my kid.
I check in, and correct all homework.
Teacher had indicated that she may not check all of the homework, but she expected that it would be done. Started checking from day one. Could tell right away which parents were involved with their kids’ education.
Parents and Disconnection
Was surprised how many parents never checked their kids work. Some never turned in any. Started sending notes home, requesting them to sign and return. Some days it takes me over two hours to correct and keep track.
Parents see the notes coming, so things are improving. Can you imagine a teacher going home and spending two hours on homework? Never will happen these days.
With all the stresses on the teachers (unfair pay cuts, budget cuts, staff cuts, crowded classes, no assistance or support, math test approved for 14 years without any input from teachers), it has to be affecting the kids.
I see burnout coming.
Neither will have an enjoyable experience. Some days it is painful to watch the teacher constantly go into a slow boil. Kids these days are different. That’s all I can say.
Something is definitely going on at home. Time outs are not working. Feel sorry for the kids, but they do not listen. Big problem, and it is not always the same ones. Better believe none of my kids have ever been one of those.
Discipline!
Yes, indeedy. I believe in it. Been proven effective 98.5 percent. There is always that percentage that only medication will do. But you’ll know them when you see them. Kids are not even aware that they are causing their own misery. Kids in timeouts miss a lot of valuable class time. Fifteen to 30 minutes a day, over time, adds up.
I remember a kid from my son’s kindergarten class.
His little eyes were bright. You could see he was happy to be in school. He was always smiling.
Saw him occasionally in first grade. When I did, he was still smiling and his eyes were still bright. After school, he would play with my son out on the playground.
His parents were Hispanic. Occasionally, we would try to have conversation.
This year during the second week of school. I forgot that it was a short day. Late picking up my son, and so he was placed in the office. Sitting next to him was the kid from kinder with the bright eyes. I high-fived him and took my son home.
My son told me that — I’ll call him “G” — was not coming back to the school. He wants to go to another school. My son said that “G” did not like his class. I felt bad. It was a couple days before I saw “G’s” mom. I approached her and asked why “G” was leaving the school.
She told me that it was not true, but that “G” did not like his class. He had been placed in special education. I was surprised. He was pretty sharp for a kinder back then. Sometimes he would need something explained a little more clearly.
Guess that what happens when you have two languages thrown at you. Last year, he wasn’t in my son’s class. But I noticed that some other kids had this problem, and I would help them if I were present. A lot of times I wasn’t.
What is the teacher supposed to do? She doesn’t have the time. One girl I occasionally helped was held back in first grade. What are we doing to our kids? Oh, yeah, (budget cuts).
Could tell you many horror stories. I am in the mix. You need to know how these cuts are affecting our kids’ future.
You can more about me on smartvoter.org L.A. County School Board Nov. 3, 2009.
Check out all of our pages. Take your time. Explore my site. Lots of interesting topics that are school-related.
Do you really know what the candidates are saying, breaking through all the fluff?
