Tammy:
We all want the same thing for our schools. Safe and secure campuses for
students, staff and community. However, many of us have valid life
experiences that causes us to see things differently than the next person.
I don't understand how some find it acceptable for the District (Board and
Cabinet) to continue to do such a poor job of analyzing needs, facing
problems and comprehensively responding to them. The sheriff's proposal is
a good example. Clearly you have had been given information and lobbied but
as a whole our school community has not. There was never any discussion and
agreement on what we want to have, what it will cost and what are we willing
to do without to get it. Everything is secret or never even addressed in
writing. If Local One had not raised the issues we have, the study session
would not be taking place, the decision would have been made and the safety
issues would continue to go unaddressed due to a lack of an integrated,
inclusive program to address them.
It seems people hold our leaders and cabinet to such low standards that we
do not expect them to make rationale, comprehensive plans to improve our
district. We seem to have a pattern of throwing something at a problem,
put it on someone else and pretend that now the problem will be properly
solved.
Why wouldn't the community budget committee or some others want to know what
services, programs and sites will have less categorical money to serve
students and schools to spend the millions to bring in 21 sheriff employees?
Kathy Rollins
krollins@...
-----Original Message-----
From: Tammera Campbell [mailto:tammeracampbell@...]
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:34 PM
To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; kathy rollins; Kevin Rivard; mikee
michele; Michael McDonald; Eduardo Martinez
Cc: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; Glen Price; Marsha Williamson
Subject: Re: [wccusdtalk] 5 years old arrest in school
Scottie,
Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few
years back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy
campuses because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy
sweeps and got the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to
the city. As I recall the students and the officers developed a
relationships, but then again let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough,
tough, get in your face people. When we lived in Richmond for 13 years and
Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7 years, we worked with the
neighborhoods and the police to try and improve communication and crime in
the city. That was when the neighborhood councils were born and crime
actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to jump to the
conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk away from
this conversation.
Tammy Campbell
rcs101@... wrote:
--Hello all:
I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in
Florida. I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in
with its new policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to
read all the e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would
think there are other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of
some of our lowest paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the
first to give up money for the children.
It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn
schools into a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at
Kennedy and Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring,
but the thought or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now,
schools will not only be a place where students can't learn, but where they
will be taken of to jails. What's up with education.
Scottie Smith
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Service.
Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
Pinole CARE
Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
Pinole Valley High School Boosters
Pinole Middle School Site Council President
Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
2668 Alhambra Way
Pinole, CA 94564
Home: 510-223-3857
Work: 510-486-4460
Fax: 510-222-4643
Pager: 510-425-3192
Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
Pinole CARE: parents@...
WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Thank you for all your work to make this happen, Hulda.
Marsha Williamson
Hulda Nystrom wrote:
> http://www.geocities.com/alliance4meaningfuleducation
>
> The Alliance for Meaningful Education is a growing coalition of
> parents,
> teachers and students across the West Contra Costa Unified School
> District
> who are concerned that
>
> * the district is mandating that teachers use the Prentice Hall
> curriculum
>
> * the Prentice Hall curriculum values test-taking skills over
> meaning-construction through reading and writing
>
> * the Prentice Hall curriculum de-skills teachers and disrespects
> their
> expertise
>
> * the Prentice Hall does not meet the University of California A-G
> requirements
>
> * the district's plan for using Prentice Hall placement and
> assessments
> tests will lead to tracking that will exacerbate racial and class
> divisions already apparent in our schools
>
> * the district's embrace of scripted curricula will deter talented and
>
> creative young teachers from applying to our district
>
> (The Alliance for Meaningful Education is not affiliated with the West
>
> Contra Costa Unified School District.)
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service.
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I hope this forward comes through.
Is this something to be concerned about?
I'm counting on others to have the time to
follow the links.
Marsha Williamson
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kathy-
Your point about assessing the budgetary implications through the
Community Budget Advisory Committee would be great, but the next
meeting isn't till May 25th. No one "in the know" about this seemed
interested in bringing it up at the last CBAC meeting.
Another point you make is how much of the development of this is
subterranean. On its face this is a very strange proposal to be
bringing up in a budget crisis year. There must be something more to
this. Hopefully, more will surface tonight. As an outsider, I would
certainly like to know.
Just to give you an idea of how wacky this is, I've been asking Paul
Ehara just for the electronic files (including the contract) from the
last meeting about this issue (or to have them on the WCCUSD Web site)
repeatedly since the last meeting. The result: nothing.
Charley Cowens
On 4/27/05, Kathy Rollins <krollins@...> wrote:
>
> Tammy:
>
> We all want the same thing for our schools. Safe and secure campuses for
> students, staff and community. However, many of us have valid life
> experiences that causes us to see things differently than the next person.
>
> I don't understand how some find it acceptable for the District (Board and
> Cabinet) to continue to do such a poor job of analyzing needs, facing
> problems and comprehensively responding to them. The sheriff's proposal is
> a good example. Clearly you have had been given information and lobbied but
> as a whole our school community has not. There was never any discussion and
> agreement on what we want to have, what it will cost and what are we willing
> to do without to get it. Everything is secret or never even addressed in
> writing. If Local One had not raised the issues we have, the study session
> would not be taking place, the decision would have been made and the safety
> issues would continue to go unaddressed due to a lack of an integrated,
> inclusive program to address them.
>
> It seems people hold our leaders and cabinet to such low standards that we
> do not expect them to make rationale, comprehensive plans to improve our
> district. We seem to have a pattern of throwing something at a problem,
> put it on someone else and pretend that now the problem will be properly
> solved.
>
> Why wouldn't the community budget committee or some others want to know what
> services, programs and sites will have less categorical money to serve
> students and schools to spend the millions to bring in 21 sheriff employees?
>
> Kathy Rollins
> krollins@...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tammera Campbell [mailto:tammeracampbell@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:34 PM
> To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; kathy rollins; Kevin Rivard; mikee
> michele; Michael McDonald; Eduardo Martinez
> Cc: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; Glen Price; Marsha Williamson
> Subject: Re: [wccusdtalk] 5 years old arrest in school
>
> Scottie,
> Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few
> years back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy
> campuses because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy
> sweeps and got the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to
> the city. As I recall the students and the officers developed a
> relationships, but then again let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough,
> tough, get in your face people. When we lived in Richmond for 13 years and
> Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7 years, we worked with the
> neighborhoods and the police to try and improve communication and crime in
> the city. That was when the neighborhood councils were born and crime
> actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to jump to the
> conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk away from
> this conversation.
> Tammy Campbell
>
> rcs101@... wrote:
>
> --Hello all:
>
> I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in
> Florida. I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in
> with its new policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to
> read all the e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would
> think there are other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of
> some of our lowest paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the
> first to give up money for the children.
>
> It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn
> schools into a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at
> Kennedy and Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring,
> but the thought or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now,
> schools will not only be a place where students can't learn, but where they
> will be taken of to jails. What's up with education.
>
> Scottie Smith
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service.
>
> Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> Pinole CARE
> Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> 2668 Alhambra Way
> Pinole, CA 94564
> Home: 510-223-3857
> Work: 510-486-4460
> Fax: 510-222-4643
> Pager: 510-425-3192
> Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
>
> Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> Pinole CARE: parents@...
> WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
Marsha-
It didn't work. Forwards are often sent as attachments by email
programs. Attachments don't come through on the list. Can you cut and
paste the forwarded email text into a fresh message to the list?
Charley Cowens
On 4/27/05, Marsha Williamson <mswilliamson@...> wrote:
>
> I hope this forward comes through.
> Is this something to be concerned about?
> I'm counting on others to have the time to
> follow the links.
> Marsha Williamson
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
Thanks for the update, Sharon! We have a collection jar in our school
library with morning announcements all week about the fire. The
District Library Department (all of the Librarians, Assistants and
Secretary) is sending a donation to the Mechanics Account from
our "Sunshine Fund." Librarians from around the state saw the news
articles and have asked how to support Castro so we put out the
Mechanics address on a CA school librarians' listserv. Hopefully some
of that will generate funds.
Thanks especially for mentioning the web! I didn't even think to use
our library website as another solicitation point for donations.
The Castro principal and PTA will take the lead in getting their
library back together. Just my personal two cents... I'm a fan of the
bank donations so they can purchase library-bound books which are
extra-durable and made to withstand repeated use.
Francie Kunaniec
Library Media Teacher, Adams Middle School
--- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, "Sharon J." <sj_jpm@u...> wrote:
>
> I ran into a Castro PTA mom last night and she said lots of nearby
> schools have offered support. Also, they are getting books and cash
> donations but they could use more.
>
> FYI: Here's what we posted on the Harding PTA website:
>
> PLEASE HELP RESTORE CASTRO LIBRARY
> A fire destroyed almost all of the books and several computers in
the
> Castro Elementary School Library. The Castro Community is asking for
> your help:
>
> (1) Donate money to "The Castro Library Fund," c/o Mechanics Bank,
> 9996 San Pablo Avenue , El Cerrito CA 94530 (donation can be made at
> any Mechanics Bank).
>
> (2) Donate books or computers.
>
> Please contact: Principal Galen Murphy at 510-234-6200,
> Galen.Murphy_Castro@g... or Castro PTA President Tony
> Campbell at 510-815-0534, sasjaandthefenian@j...
Tammy, I can't speak for Scottie, but I doubt that what she was saying is, "cops
are harsh, rough, get in your face people..." I think she was trying to remind
people of incidents when policing has not been seen as fairly applied in this
school district. I can't get in the middle of this, because I am not a Richmond
resident. But, I do believe that Scottie has to present the perceptions that she
has on this issue. And it may be that people will in the end be divided on this
issue, and as we all know, the district is going to do whatever it wants too
anyway, without consideration of our input.
Now I would like to say that I am totally willing to acknowledge that the
Richmond PD has accomplished a lot in terms of police community relations. What
you say about Neighborhood Councils really resonates with me. I see the
Richmond PD, active and out in the community. From what I read and hear they
have come a long way from the Richmond Cowboys of the old days.
My question has been all along, what special training is the Sheriff's dept
going to get in police-school site relations? No one from the district on this
listserv has addressed this point yet. To me training is critical so that
incidents like the one in Florida, with the 5 year old being handcuffed don't
happen. Law enforcement personnel are not sworn in knowing how to relate to
every community. They are human beings after all and they above all know that a
good deal of their work is involved in efforts other than dealing with criminal
activity, though of course that is a very important part of their mission. They
used to call it order maintenance in old criminology classes. Don't know what
they call it now.
And, of course there are the other questions posed by Kathy Rollins in another
posting. The district does need to anwer our questions and satisfy us. My
question centers around training above and beyond what they have received to
date. Who will pay for it and the prospectus of the training.
Maybe third times the charm that I'll get an answer to my question on this issue
from a board member or district employee, in the know.
Rebecca
Tammera Campbell <tammeracampbell@...> wrote:
Scottie,
Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few years
back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy campuses
because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy sweeps and got
the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to the city. As I
recall the students and the officers developed a relationships, but then again
let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough, tough, get in your face people. When
we lived in Richmond for 13 years and Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7
years, we worked with the neighborhoods and the police to try and improve
communication and crime in the city. That was when the neighborhood councils
were born and crime actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to
jump to the conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
away from this conversation.
Tammy Campbell
rcs101@... wrote:
--Hello all:
I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in Florida. I
hope this is not the direction this district will be going in with its new
policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to read all the
e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would think there are
other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of some of our lowest
paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the first to give up money
for the children.
It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn schools into a
police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at Kennedy and Richmond
high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring, but the thought or talk
about saftey was not a high priority, but now, schools will not only be a place
where students can't learn, but where they will be taken of to jails. What's up
with education.
Scottie Smith
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
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Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
Pinole CARE
Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
Pinole Valley High School Boosters
Pinole Middle School Site Council President
Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
2668 Alhambra Way
Pinole, CA 94564
Home: 510-223-3857
Work: 510-486-4460
Fax: 510-222-4643
Pager: 510-425-3192
Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
Pinole CARE: parents@...
WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I didn't get police-as-bullies from Scottie's posting. Interacting
more directly with the police will lead to jail as a more likely
outcome for students. Depending on your point of view, this may be a
bad thing or a good thing, but it doesn't have to do necessarily with
the personal characteristics of the police.
Am I the only person on this list who thinks the real story with the
5-year old is just how paralyzed with fear of litigation and attitudes
staff and teachers are in dealing with discipline in school such that
they feel compelled to call in the relatively more litigation-proof
police to deal with discipline problems?
Charley Cowens
On 4/27/05, Tammera Campbell <tammeracampbell@...> wrote:
>
> Scottie,
> Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few years
back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy campuses
because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy sweeps and got
the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to the city. As I
recall the students and the officers developed a relationships, but then again
let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough, tough, get in your face people. When
we lived in Richmond for 13 years and Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7
years, we worked with the neighborhoods and the police to try and improve
communication and crime in the city. That was when the neighborhood councils
were born and crime actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to
jump to the conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
away from this conversation.
> Tammy Campbell
>
> rcs101@... wrote:
>
> --Hello all:
>
> I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in Florida.
I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in with its new
policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to read all the
e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would think there are
other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of some of our lowest
paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the first to give up money
for the children.
>
> It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn schools into
a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at Kennedy and
Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring, but the thought
or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now, schools will not only be
a place where students can't learn, but where they will be taken of to jails.
What's up with education.
>
> Scottie Smith
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
> Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> Pinole CARE
> Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> 2668 Alhambra Way
> Pinole, CA 94564
> Home: 510-223-3857
> Work: 510-486-4460
> Fax: 510-222-4643
> Pager: 510-425-3192
> Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
>
> Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> Pinole CARE: parents@...
> WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
Charley: I think your posting is a very realistic, supposition about the
district's motivation. The back story to this whole police issue could be the
question of liability. After all the City of El Cerrito no longer has any swings
in any of its playgrounds because of liability concerns.
Rebecca
Charley Cowens <charley.cowens@...> wrote:
I didn't get police-as-bullies from Scottie's posting. Interacting
more directly with the police will lead to jail as a more likely
outcome for students. Depending on your point of view, this may be a
bad thing or a good thing, but it doesn't have to do necessarily with
the personal characteristics of the police.
Am I the only person on this list who thinks the real story with the
5-year old is just how paralyzed with fear of litigation and attitudes
staff and teachers are in dealing with discipline in school such that
they feel compelled to call in the relatively more litigation-proof
police to deal with discipline problems?
Charley Cowens
On 4/27/05, Tammera Campbell <tammeracampbell@...> wrote:
>
> Scottie,
> Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few years
back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy campuses
because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy sweeps and got
the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to the city. As I
recall the students and the officers developed a relationships, but then again
let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough, tough, get in your face people. When
we lived in Richmond for 13 years and Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7
years, we worked with the neighborhoods and the police to try and improve
communication and crime in the city. That was when the neighborhood councils
were born and crime actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to
jump to the conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
away from this conversation.
> Tammy Campbell
>
> rcs101@... wrote:
>
> --Hello all:
>
> I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in Florida.
I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in with its new
policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to read all the
e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would think there are
other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of some of our lowest
paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the first to give up money
for the children.
>
> It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn schools into
a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at Kennedy and
Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring, but the thought
or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now, schools will not only be
a place where students can't learn, but where they will be taken of to jails.
What's up with education.
>
> Scottie Smith
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
> Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> Pinole CARE
> Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> 2668 Alhambra Way
> Pinole, CA 94564
> Home: 510-223-3857
> Work: 510-486-4460
> Fax: 510-222-4643
> Pager: 510-425-3192
> Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
>
> Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> Pinole CARE: parents@...
> WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Right after posting this with my kvetching paragraph at the end, I
received an email from Paul Ehara that Vince Kilmartin had modified
some document (related to the policing issue) and sent it in today and
that would be posted.
For the record,
Charley Cowens
--- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Charley Cowens
<charley.cowens@g...> wrote:
> Kathy-
>
> Your point about assessing the budgetary implications through the
> Community Budget Advisory Committee would be great, but the next
> meeting isn't till May 25th. No one "in the know" about this seemed
> interested in bringing it up at the last CBAC meeting.
>
> Another point you make is how much of the development of this is
> subterranean. On its face this is a very strange proposal to be
> bringing up in a budget crisis year. There must be something more to
> this. Hopefully, more will surface tonight. As an outsider, I would
> certainly like to know.
>
> Just to give you an idea of how wacky this is, I've been asking Paul
> Ehara just for the electronic files (including the contract) from the
> last meeting about this issue (or to have them on the WCCUSD Web site)
> repeatedly since the last meeting. The result: nothing.
>
> Charley Cowens
>
> On 4/27/05, Kathy Rollins <krollins@p...> wrote:
> >
> > Tammy:
> >
> > We all want the same thing for our schools. Safe and secure
campuses for
> > students, staff and community. However, many of us have valid life
> > experiences that causes us to see things differently than the
next person.
> >
> > I don't understand how some find it acceptable for the District
(Board and
> > Cabinet) to continue to do such a poor job of analyzing needs, facing
> > problems and comprehensively responding to them. The sheriff's
proposal is
> > a good example. Clearly you have had been given information and
lobbied but
> > as a whole our school community has not. There was never any
discussion and
> > agreement on what we want to have, what it will cost and what are
we willing
> > to do without to get it. Everything is secret or never even
addressed in
> > writing. If Local One had not raised the issues we have, the
study session
> > would not be taking place, the decision would have been made and
the safety
> > issues would continue to go unaddressed due to a lack of an
integrated,
> > inclusive program to address them.
> >
> > It seems people hold our leaders and cabinet to such low standards
that we
> > do not expect them to make rationale, comprehensive plans to
improve our
> > district. We seem to have a pattern of throwing something at a
problem,
> > put it on someone else and pretend that now the problem will be
properly
> > solved.
> >
> > Why wouldn't the community budget committee or some others want to
know what
> > services, programs and sites will have less categorical money to serve
> > students and schools to spend the millions to bring in 21 sheriff
employees?
> >
> > Kathy Rollins
> > krollins@p...
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tammera Campbell [mailto:tammeracampbell@y...]
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:34 PM
> > To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; kathy rollins; Kevin Rivard; mikee
> > michele; Michael McDonald; Eduardo Martinez
> > Cc: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com; Glen Price; Marsha Williamson
> > Subject: Re: [wccusdtalk] 5 years old arrest in school
> >
> > Scottie,
> > Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond
Chief a few
> > years back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and
Kennedy
> > campuses because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted
truancy
> > sweeps and got the kids off the street and back into school at the
cost to
> > the city. As I recall the students and the officers developed a
> > relationships, but then again let's stereotype all cops as harsh,
rough,
> > tough, get in your face people. When we lived in Richmond for 13
years and
> > Chris was crime prevention chairman for 7 years, we worked with the
> > neighborhoods and the police to try and improve communication and
crime in
> > the city. That was when the neighborhood councils were born and crime
> > actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going to jump
to the
> > conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
away from
> > this conversation.
> > Tammy Campbell
> >
> > rcs101@a... wrote:
> >
> > --Hello all:
> >
> > I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was
arrested in
> > Florida. I hope this is not the direction this district will be
going in
> > with its new policing policy in this district. I haven't had much
time to
> > read all the e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but
I would
> > think there are other ways to save money, rather than cutting the
jobs of
> > some of our lowest paid, less benefits and a group of employee
that are the
> > first to give up money for the children.
> >
> > It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn
> > schools into a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when
kids at
> > Kennedy and Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was
occurring,
> > but the thought or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now,
> > schools will not only be a place where students can't learn, but
where they
> > will be taken of to jails. What's up with education.
> >
> > Scottie Smith
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> >
> > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> > Service.
> >
> > Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> > Pinole CARE
> > Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> > Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> > Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> > Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> > 2668 Alhambra Way
> > Pinole, CA 94564
> > Home: 510-223-3857
> > Work: 510-486-4460
> > Fax: 510-222-4643
> > Pager: 510-425-3192
> > Email: Tammera.Campbell@c...
> >
> > Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> > Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@y...
> > Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@h...
> > Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@c...
> > Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@s...
> > Pinole CARE: parents@c...
> > WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> > http://mail.yahoo.com
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
I was attending the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) meeting last
night from 5:30 to 8:30.
Did anyone attend the safety meeting at Pinole High that could give a recap?
By the way, MRAD funds are being used in ways that will cut back on the
availability of MRAD funds that were to go to your school site. Much the
same way TIIG funding and Title 1 funding is being diverted by the Central
Administration for district programs rather than site programs. I realize no
on seems to care but I just wanted to bring it to your attention so some
could not plead ignorance in the future. An example is $170,000 from MRAD is
being proposed for a soccer field at Sheldon. Some schools will have to
forgo their annual MRAD funding to subsidize that payment in my opinion.
Thank you.
Kevin
Marsha,
You have also not stated that this district under specific accounting rules must
put aside $70 million by 2007 for their lifetime benefit liability.
Tammy
Marsha Williamson <mswilliamson@...> wrote:
I would like to put the previous posting regarding WCCUSD health
benefits information in simple terms that everyone can understand:
The district's total Operating Budget for '04/'05 was around$270
million, with Health and Welfare benefits for current and retired
employees making up nearly 13% of the district's budget, or about $34
million.
This is simply a statement of fact with regard to where the WCCUSD's
money goes.
Sincerely,
Marsha Williamson
Cathy Travlos wrote:
>
> Greetings. This information sheet on health benefits is also posted
> at:
>
>
>
http://www.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf>http://ww\
w.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf
>
>
>
> ====================
>
> West Contra Costa Unified School District
>
> FACTS ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS
> Published by the Office of Fiscal Services · April, 2005
>
> Health Care Insurance Premiums Skyrocket
> * School districts across California have been hard hit by
> escalating
> health care costs. Statewide, premiums have shot up 129% in the last
> five
> years.
> * In WCCUSD, premiums have skyrocketed by 129% from 1999 to 2005,
> and
> by more than 70% since 2003. The 2004-05 estimated health and welfare
>
> benefits expense for active and retired employees is $34 million.
> * In the past year alone, WCCUSD health benefit costs have
> increased by
> more than $3.7 million, and we project a $4.2 million-or 14%-cost
> increase
> in next yearís benefits.
> WCCUSD Benefit Package
> * WCCUSD is one of only a few districts in the state to provide
> health
> care benefits for life, and has the second most generous retirement
> package
> in the state.
> * The district has fully covered the cost of health insurance
> premiums
> under the Kaiser HMO and various alternate plans since the districtís
> unification in 1965. The current alternate plan available through
> CalPERS
> is Blue Shield HMO.
> * At present, the district fully funds the higher of Blue Shield
> HMO or
> Kaiser HMO. Employees may also choose a PPO program; however, if the
> premium is higher than the HMO premium they must pay the difference.
> * In 2005, for the first time, PERSChoice PPO is less expensive
> than
> the Blue Shield HMO and is fully covered by the district. The more
> liberal
> PERSCare program is more expensive and requires an employee
> contribution.
> * District employees choosing Blue Shield HMO, Kaiser HMO or
> PERSChoice
> PPO in the Bay Area region contribute nothing toward health premiums
> in 2005.1
> * Part-time certificated employees are eligible to receive a
> district
> contribution toward benefits proportionate to the FTE they are
> working. Part-time classified employees working 4 hours per day or
> more
> receive 100% contribution toward health benefits. Classified
> employees
> working less than 4 hours per day are not eligible for district
> contribution toward health benefits.
>
>
> Budget Impacts of Escalating Health Care Costs
> * Health costs are increasing faster than WCCUSD revenues.
> * A new opinion issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards
> Board
> (GASB 45) requires governmental agencies, including school districts,
> to
> project future retiree health care costs, recognize these costs in
> their
> financial statements, and report how these costs will be funded.
> * WCCUSD's current unfunded liability for its retiree health
> benefits
> package is $952 million. Beginning in 2007-08, the district must
> report
> the funding of this liability in its financial statement over a
> 30-year
> period, resulting in an additional expense of approximately $40
> million per
> year.
> * If the district cannot restrict the flow of money out of its
> budget
> to the health care insurance industry, it will have to look to other
> cost
> saving measures in order to balance the budget and prevent state
> takeover.
> * Since over 80% of the district budget is in the form of salaries
> and
> benefits to employees, the lionís share of cuts will have to come in
> the
> form of personnel reductions.
> * Since 1999, WCCUSD teachers have received a 23.5% increase in
> salaries. Our district has higher total compensation packages than Mt.
>
> Diablo, and as of July 2005 we will have higher teacher salaries than
> Oakland.
> * If we cannot control health care costs, we will not be able to
> strengthen teacher salaries and the education of our children.
> * If the state takes over we will lose local control of our
> schools and
> the ability to negotiate staff salaries.
>
>
> WCCUSD Proposal: Benefits Will Continue to Be Among Stateís Most
> Generous
> * We are not asking staff to give up health benefits. We are
> asking
> that, like most school districts and companies, staff pay a small
> share of
> their own health care costs.
> * The district is proposing to cap its health benefit contribution
> at
> the current Kaiser HMO rate, with future increases subject to
> negotiation.
> * The districtís proposal includes three main items:
> * Set the districtís contribution rate at the current Kaiser 2005
> single, two-party, and family rates for current employees. This
> proposal
> would result in cost sharing between the district and employees, a
> system
> that currently exists in almost all of the school districts in
> California.
> * Find a cost-effective alternative to CalPERS, or adopt a vesting
>
> schedule for future employees to contain future retiree benefits
> costs.
> * Increase cash-in-lieu from $75 to $125 per month to encourage
> employees to take cash in lieu of benefits to the extent they have
> access
> to coverage through a spouse or domestic partner.
> * The bottom line: The districtís proposal would provide the
> following
> annual contributions toward health benefits: Employee only, $4,256.28;
> Two
> Party, $8,512.56; Family, $11,066.28.
> * Statewide, over 95% of all school districts have already capped
> their
> contributions to health care benefits at significantly lower amounts
> than
> WCCUSD is proposing.
> __________________
> (1) Employees in the HMO plans pay $10 co-payments when seeing
> the
> doctor and prescription co-payments of $5 (generic), $15 (formulary
> non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when obtained from local
> pharmacies.
> Employees in the PPO program have a deductible of $500 for
> single
> coverage and $1000 for two-party and family coverage, pay $20
> co-payments
> when seeing the doctor, and $20 co-payments for most other services
> under
> the plan. The rates for filling a first-time prescription are $5
> (generic), $15 (formulary non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when
> obtained from local pharmacies. If an employee in the PPO plan
> doesnít use
> the planís mail order pharmacy when refilling a prescription, the
> co-payments increase to $10, $25, and $75.
>
> # # #
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service.
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
Pinole CARE
Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
Pinole Valley High School Boosters
Pinole Middle School Site Council President
Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
2668 Alhambra Way
Pinole, CA 94564
Home: 510-223-3857
Work: 510-486-4460
Fax: 510-222-4643
Pager: 510-425-3192
Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
Pinole CARE: parents@...
WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
About the mass post. -sjd
Tammera Campbell wrote:
> Marsha,
> You have also not stated that this district under specific accounting rules
must put aside $70 million by 2007 for their lifetime benefit liability.
> Tammy
>
> Marsha Williamson <mswilliamson@...> wrote:
> I would like to put the previous posting regarding WCCUSD health
> benefits information in simple terms that everyone can understand:
>
> The district's total Operating Budget for '04/'05 was around$270
> million, with Health and Welfare benefits for current and retired
> employees making up nearly 13% of the district's budget, or about $34
> million.
>
> This is simply a statement of fact with regard to where the WCCUSD's
> money goes.
>
> Sincerely,
> Marsha Williamson
>
> Cathy Travlos wrote:
>
> >
> > Greetings. This information sheet on health benefits is also posted
> > at:
> >
> >
> >
http://www.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf>http://ww\
w.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf
> >
> >
> >
> > ====================
> >
> > West Contra Costa Unified School District
> >
> > FACTS ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS
> > Published by the Office of Fiscal Services · April, 2005
> >
> > Health Care Insurance Premiums Skyrocket
> > * School districts across California have been hard hit by
> > escalating
> > health care costs. Statewide, premiums have shot up 129% in the last
> > five
> > years.
> > * In WCCUSD, premiums have skyrocketed by 129% from 1999 to 2005,
> > and
> > by more than 70% since 2003. The 2004-05 estimated health and welfare
> >
> > benefits expense for active and retired employees is $34 million.
> > * In the past year alone, WCCUSD health benefit costs have
> > increased by
> > more than $3.7 million, and we project a $4.2 million-or 14%-cost
> > increase
> > in next yearís benefits.
> > WCCUSD Benefit Package
> > * WCCUSD is one of only a few districts in the state to provide
> > health
> > care benefits for life, and has the second most generous retirement
> > package
> > in the state.
> > * The district has fully covered the cost of health insurance
> > premiums
> > under the Kaiser HMO and various alternate plans since the districtís
> > unification in 1965. The current alternate plan available through
> > CalPERS
> > is Blue Shield HMO.
> > * At present, the district fully funds the higher of Blue Shield
> > HMO or
> > Kaiser HMO. Employees may also choose a PPO program; however, if the
> > premium is higher than the HMO premium they must pay the difference.
> > * In 2005, for the first time, PERSChoice PPO is less expensive
> > than
> > the Blue Shield HMO and is fully covered by the district. The more
> > liberal
> > PERSCare program is more expensive and requires an employee
> > contribution.
> > * District employees choosing Blue Shield HMO, Kaiser HMO or
> > PERSChoice
> > PPO in the Bay Area region contribute nothing toward health premiums
> > in 2005.1
> > * Part-time certificated employees are eligible to receive a
> > district
> > contribution toward benefits proportionate to the FTE they are
> > working. Part-time classified employees working 4 hours per day or
> > more
> > receive 100% contribution toward health benefits. Classified
> > employees
> > working less than 4 hours per day are not eligible for district
> > contribution toward health benefits.
> >
> >
> > Budget Impacts of Escalating Health Care Costs
> > * Health costs are increasing faster than WCCUSD revenues.
> > * A new opinion issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards
> > Board
> > (GASB 45) requires governmental agencies, including school districts,
> > to
> > project future retiree health care costs, recognize these costs in
> > their
> > financial statements, and report how these costs will be funded.
> > * WCCUSD's current unfunded liability for its retiree health
> > benefits
> > package is $952 million. Beginning in 2007-08, the district must
> > report
> > the funding of this liability in its financial statement over a
> > 30-year
> > period, resulting in an additional expense of approximately $40
> > million per
> > year.
> > * If the district cannot restrict the flow of money out of its
> > budget
> > to the health care insurance industry, it will have to look to other
> > cost
> > saving measures in order to balance the budget and prevent state
> > takeover.
> > * Since over 80% of the district budget is in the form of salaries
> > and
> > benefits to employees, the lionís share of cuts will have to come in
> > the
> > form of personnel reductions.
> > * Since 1999, WCCUSD teachers have received a 23.5% increase in
> > salaries. Our district has higher total compensation packages than Mt.
> >
> > Diablo, and as of July 2005 we will have higher teacher salaries than
> > Oakland.
> > * If we cannot control health care costs, we will not be able to
> > strengthen teacher salaries and the education of our children.
> > * If the state takes over we will lose local control of our
> > schools and
> > the ability to negotiate staff salaries.
> >
> >
> > WCCUSD Proposal: Benefits Will Continue to Be Among Stateís Most
> > Generous
> > * We are not asking staff to give up health benefits. We are
> > asking
> > that, like most school districts and companies, staff pay a small
> > share of
> > their own health care costs.
> > * The district is proposing to cap its health benefit contribution
> > at
> > the current Kaiser HMO rate, with future increases subject to
> > negotiation.
> > * The districtís proposal includes three main items:
> > * Set the districtís contribution rate at the current Kaiser 2005
> > single, two-party, and family rates for current employees. This
> > proposal
> > would result in cost sharing between the district and employees, a
> > system
> > that currently exists in almost all of the school districts in
> > California.
> > * Find a cost-effective alternative to CalPERS, or adopt a vesting
> >
> > schedule for future employees to contain future retiree benefits
> > costs.
> > * Increase cash-in-lieu from $75 to $125 per month to encourage
> > employees to take cash in lieu of benefits to the extent they have
> > access
> > to coverage through a spouse or domestic partner.
> > * The bottom line: The districtís proposal would provide the
> > following
> > annual contributions toward health benefits: Employee only, $4,256.28;
> > Two
> > Party, $8,512.56; Family, $11,066.28.
> > * Statewide, over 95% of all school districts have already capped
> > their
> > contributions to health care benefits at significantly lower amounts
> > than
> > WCCUSD is proposing.
> > __________________
> > (1) Employees in the HMO plans pay $10 co-payments when seeing
> > the
> > doctor and prescription co-payments of $5 (generic), $15 (formulary
> > non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when obtained from local
> > pharmacies.
> > Employees in the PPO program have a deductible of $500 for
> > single
> > coverage and $1000 for two-party and family coverage, pay $20
> > co-payments
> > when seeing the doctor, and $20 co-payments for most other services
> > under
> > the plan. The rates for filling a first-time prescription are $5
> > (generic), $15 (formulary non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when
> > obtained from local pharmacies. If an employee in the PPO plan
> > doesnít use
> > the planís mail order pharmacy when refilling a prescription, the
> > co-payments increase to $10, $25, and $75.
> >
> > # # #
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> >
> > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> > Service.
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
> Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> Pinole CARE
> Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> 2668 Alhambra Way
> Pinole, CA 94564
> Home: 510-223-3857
> Work: 510-486-4460
> Fax: 510-222-4643
> Pager: 510-425-3192
> Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
>
> Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> Pinole CARE: parents@...
> WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tammy-
The GASB45 number stated in the press release is $40 million. I
believe Marsha was just talking about this fiscal year.
Charley Cowens
On 4/28/05, Tammera Campbell <tammeracampbell@...> wrote:
> Marsha,
> You have also not stated that this district under specific accounting rules
must put aside $70 million by 2007 for their lifetime benefit liability.
> Tammy
>
>
> Marsha Williamson <mswilliamson@...> wrote:
> I would like to put the previous posting regarding WCCUSD health
> benefits information in simple terms that everyone can understand:
>
> The district's total Operating Budget for '04/'05 was around$270
> million, with Health and Welfare benefits for current and retired
> employees making up nearly 13% of the district's budget, or about $34
> million.
>
> This is simply a statement of fact with regard to where the WCCUSD's
> money goes.
>
> Sincerely,
> Marsha Williamson
>
> Cathy Travlos wrote:
>
> >
> > Greetings. This information sheet on health benefits is also posted
> > at:
> >
> >
> >
http://www.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf>http://ww\
w.wccusd.k12.ca.us/negotiations/PDF/04_21_05_health_facts.pdf
> >
> >
> >
> > ====================
> >
> > West Contra Costa Unified School District
> >
> > FACTS ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS
> > Published by the Office of Fiscal Services · April, 2005
> >
> > Health Care Insurance Premiums Skyrocket
> > * School districts across California have been hard hit by
> > escalating
> > health care costs. Statewide, premiums have shot up 129% in the last
> > five
> > years.
> > * In WCCUSD, premiums have skyrocketed by 129% from 1999 to 2005,
> > and
> > by more than 70% since 2003. The 2004-05 estimated health and welfare
> >
> > benefits expense for active and retired employees is $34 million.
> > * In the past year alone, WCCUSD health benefit costs have
> > increased by
> > more than $3.7 million, and we project a $4.2 million-or 14%-cost
> > increase
> > in next yearís benefits.
> > WCCUSD Benefit Package
> > * WCCUSD is one of only a few districts in the state to provide
> > health
> > care benefits for life, and has the second most generous retirement
> > package
> > in the state.
> > * The district has fully covered the cost of health insurance
> > premiums
> > under the Kaiser HMO and various alternate plans since the districtís
> > unification in 1965. The current alternate plan available through
> > CalPERS
> > is Blue Shield HMO.
> > * At present, the district fully funds the higher of Blue Shield
> > HMO or
> > Kaiser HMO. Employees may also choose a PPO program; however, if the
> > premium is higher than the HMO premium they must pay the difference.
> > * In 2005, for the first time, PERSChoice PPO is less expensive
> > than
> > the Blue Shield HMO and is fully covered by the district. The more
> > liberal
> > PERSCare program is more expensive and requires an employee
> > contribution.
> > * District employees choosing Blue Shield HMO, Kaiser HMO or
> > PERSChoice
> > PPO in the Bay Area region contribute nothing toward health premiums
> > in 2005.1
> > * Part-time certificated employees are eligible to receive a
> > district
> > contribution toward benefits proportionate to the FTE they are
> > working. Part-time classified employees working 4 hours per day or
> > more
> > receive 100% contribution toward health benefits. Classified
> > employees
> > working less than 4 hours per day are not eligible for district
> > contribution toward health benefits.
> >
> >
> > Budget Impacts of Escalating Health Care Costs
> > * Health costs are increasing faster than WCCUSD revenues.
> > * A new opinion issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards
> > Board
> > (GASB 45) requires governmental agencies, including school districts,
> > to
> > project future retiree health care costs, recognize these costs in
> > their
> > financial statements, and report how these costs will be funded.
> > * WCCUSD's current unfunded liability for its retiree health
> > benefits
> > package is $952 million. Beginning in 2007-08, the district must
> > report
> > the funding of this liability in its financial statement over a
> > 30-year
> > period, resulting in an additional expense of approximately $40
> > million per
> > year.
> > * If the district cannot restrict the flow of money out of its
> > budget
> > to the health care insurance industry, it will have to look to other
> > cost
> > saving measures in order to balance the budget and prevent state
> > takeover.
> > * Since over 80% of the district budget is in the form of salaries
> > and
> > benefits to employees, the lionís share of cuts will have to come in
> > the
> > form of personnel reductions.
> > * Since 1999, WCCUSD teachers have received a 23.5% increase in
> > salaries. Our district has higher total compensation packages than Mt.
> >
> > Diablo, and as of July 2005 we will have higher teacher salaries than
> > Oakland.
> > * If we cannot control health care costs, we will not be able to
> > strengthen teacher salaries and the education of our children.
> > * If the state takes over we will lose local control of our
> > schools and
> > the ability to negotiate staff salaries.
> >
> >
> > WCCUSD Proposal: Benefits Will Continue to Be Among Stateís Most
> > Generous
> > * We are not asking staff to give up health benefits. We are
> > asking
> > that, like most school districts and companies, staff pay a small
> > share of
> > their own health care costs.
> > * The district is proposing to cap its health benefit contribution
> > at
> > the current Kaiser HMO rate, with future increases subject to
> > negotiation.
> > * The districtís proposal includes three main items:
> > * Set the districtís contribution rate at the current Kaiser 2005
> > single, two-party, and family rates for current employees. This
> > proposal
> > would result in cost sharing between the district and employees, a
> > system
> > that currently exists in almost all of the school districts in
> > California.
> > * Find a cost-effective alternative to CalPERS, or adopt a vesting
> >
> > schedule for future employees to contain future retiree benefits
> > costs.
> > * Increase cash-in-lieu from $75 to $125 per month to encourage
> > employees to take cash in lieu of benefits to the extent they have
> > access
> > to coverage through a spouse or domestic partner.
> > * The bottom line: The districtís proposal would provide the
> > following
> > annual contributions toward health benefits: Employee only, $4,256.28;
> > Two
> > Party, $8,512.56; Family, $11,066.28.
> > * Statewide, over 95% of all school districts have already capped
> > their
> > contributions to health care benefits at significantly lower amounts
> > than
> > WCCUSD is proposing.
> > __________________
> > (1) Employees in the HMO plans pay $10 co-payments when seeing
> > the
> > doctor and prescription co-payments of $5 (generic), $15 (formulary
> > non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when obtained from local
> > pharmacies.
> > Employees in the PPO program have a deductible of $500 for
> > single
> > coverage and $1000 for two-party and family coverage, pay $20
> > co-payments
> > when seeing the doctor, and $20 co-payments for most other services
> > under
> > the plan. The rates for filling a first-time prescription are $5
> > (generic), $15 (formulary non-generic), and $45 (non-formulary) when
> > obtained from local pharmacies. If an employee in the PPO plan
> > doesnít use
> > the planís mail order pharmacy when refilling a prescription, the
> > co-payments increase to $10, $25, and $75.
> >
> > # # #
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
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> >
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> >
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> >
> > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> > Service.
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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> Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> Pinole CARE
> Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> 2668 Alhambra Way
> Pinole, CA 94564
> Home: 510-223-3857
> Work: 510-486-4460
> Fax: 510-222-4643
> Pager: 510-425-3192
> Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
>
> Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> Pinole CARE: parents@...
> WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
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--Tammy:
I did not say all police are bad, but I did say depending on who you are and
what community you come from it does make a difference in the way one view the
police or interact with them. Glen alluded to this same type of perception, when
the issue about the military recruiters coming on school campuses came up. If it
upset you to hear that some have a different perspective of the police, that is
sad for you. But the fact that the police is perceive differently by different
groups and communities is "researched based", therefore, the board has a
responsibility to really look at this issues, not only in terms of cost, but the
many other areas that could have an impact on the education of all students.
This may upset some, but many believe that the school are preparing many
students for jail, therefore, this new proposal of city police feeds right into
this belief. So again, there should be community forums on this subject and not
just in Pinole.
Scottie Smith
-------------- Original message from Rebecca Hazlewood <rah_tax@...>:
--------------
>
> Charley: I think your posting is a very realistic, supposition about the
> district's motivation. The back story to this whole police issue could be the
> question of liability. After all the City of El Cerrito no longer has any
swings
> in any of its playgrounds because of liability concerns.
>
> Rebecca
>
> Charley Cowens wrote:
> I didn't get police-as-bullies from Scottie's posting. Interacting
> more directly with the police will lead to jail as a more likely
> outcome for students. Depending on your point of view, this may be a
> bad thing or a good thing, but it doesn't have to do necessarily with
> the personal characteristics of the police.
>
> Am I the only person on this list who thinks the real story with the
> 5-year old is just how paralyzed with fear of litigation and attitudes
> staff and teachers are in dealing with discipline in school such that
> they feel compelled to call in the relatively more litigation-proof
> police to deal with discipline problems?
>
> Charley Cowens
>
> On 4/27/05, Tammera Campbell wrote:
> >
> > Scottie,
> > Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few
years
> back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy campuses
> because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy sweeps and got
> the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to the city. As I
> recall the students and the officers developed a relationships, but then again
> let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough, tough, get in your face people.
When
> we lived in Richmond for 13 years and Chris was crime prevention chairman for
7
> years, we worked with the neighborhoods and the police to try and improve
> communication and crime in the city. That was when the neighborhood councils
> were born and crime actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going
to
> jump to the conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
> away from this conversation.
> > Tammy Campbell
> >
> > rcs101@... wrote:
> >
> > --Hello all:
> >
> > I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in
Florida.
> I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in with its new
> policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to read all the
> e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would think there are
> other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of some of our lowest
> paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the first to give up
money
> for the children.
> >
> > It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn schools
into
> a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at Kennedy and
> Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring, but the
thought
> or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now, schools will not only
be
> a place where students can't learn, but where they will be taken of to jails.
> What's up with education.
> >
> > Scottie Smith
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > To visit your group on the web, go to:
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> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
> >
> > Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> > Pinole CARE
> > Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> > Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> > Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> > Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> > 2668 Alhambra Way
> > Pinole, CA 94564
> > Home: 510-223-3857
> > Work: 510-486-4460
> > Fax: 510-222-4643
> > Pager: 510-425-3192
> > Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
> >
> > Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> > Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> > Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> > Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> > Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> > Pinole CARE: parents@...
> > WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> > __________________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
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>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kevin,
I don't think I was putting out "bad information", so I must
respectfully disagree. Based on what many veteran teachers have told
me, the long story is that they did have full health care (including
retirement care) long before '91, BUT they accepted the 9% pay cut
based on the assurance that doing so would protect these health care
benefits. They all say they would not have voted for it if this
assurance had not been made. Furthermore, all say that the pay hike
they had been given previous to the pay cut merely brought the
district pay scale up to a par with other districts; that, prior to
the raise, they had been in the same situation we are in now: low
pay, but good benefits to compensate. So, my history of the
situation may have been simplified, but I do not think it was
essentially incorrect.
Do we really want to move to a situation where we have rock bottom
pay AND a poor benefits package? Why would anyone stay with WCCUSD
if that was the case? If you could make $5,000-$10,000 more per year
by moving to another district, and the benefit package was close to
the same, why wouldn't a person do that? It would have nothing to do
with dedication; WCCUSD kids are deserving of good teachers, but so
are the kids of every other district.
Another point is this: as public employees, and as persons who are
teachers of (and presumably role models for) our youth, what message
would be sending by caving in to the conservative trend towards
inadequate health coverage? When and why did that become okay? We
already have the highest percentage of underinsured persons of any
advanced country. If teachers cave in to pressures to join the ranks
of the underinsured, won't that endanger everyone else? Why is
the "crime" that teachers are fully insured, rather than the crime
being that so many of our district's families are NOT? I think it is
something worth fighting for.
That aside, the bottom line is this: kids need good teachers, and our
district is losing many every year because other districts and
professions provide more compensation and/or better working
conditions. It is likely that this trend will rapidly accelerate if
overall compensation is slashed (not to mention those things that
help contribute to good working conditions). The teachers who leave
will be okay -- they are among the best and brightest, which is why
they have options in their lives -- but where does that leave the
kids? We need to work this out before it is too late. Teachers are
not the enemy here.
Ralph
--- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, "Kevin Rivard" <kfrivard@h...>
wrote:
> Ralph,
>
> Your history on the 1991 cuts and tying them to the lifetime
benefits is
> off. Before speaking on history of this district and sounding
ignorant let
> us get the facts straight.
>
> The 9 per cent cut back in the 90's was a result of, Walter Marks
and the
> Board at the time, giving a raise, without the benefit of
supportive
> district income that then caused the bankruptcy, thus causing the
state
> takeover and the bringing in of our now state controller, Fred
Stewart who
> actually directed the pay raise cut be made.
>
> The lifetime benefits package was negotiated by the now District
Famous
> person Woody W. Snodgrass back in the late 70's and because of his
wonderful
> leadership the District just named the Bissell Administration
building after
> him which is probably apropos to dedicate an administration
building after
> the very person who has a direct link to the very problem that is
now
> decimating the educational foundation in this district.
>
> I truly meant no disrespect to you Ralph with my opening remark it
is just
> that if we do not understand the totality of a problem and keep
putting out
> misinformation then a solution based on bad information is on a
foundation
> of sand and will not stand.
>
> Kevin
>
> >From: "ralphebedwell" <ralphebedwell@y...>
> >Reply-To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> >To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [wccusdtalk] Re: Distinguished Schools Selection Criteria
> >Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 05:44:29 -0000
> >
> >
> >Rebecca,
> >
> >Well, I'm not taking the moral high or low road. I believe that
the
> >vast majority of people are well-intentioned, highly moral people;
> >teachers are part of this. All, whether teacher or plumber or
> >fireman or physician, want to be treated fairly, want to have the
> >ability to take care of their families, and want these things as
the
> >result of doing something that contributes to the greater good.
The
> >percentage of priority we place on each of these elements varies,
of
> >course, but I think we all want these same things.
> >
> >The thing is, the teachers of this district have paid for these
> >benefits through reduced salaries. According to UTR, a teacher in
> >the middle of the salary scale who was employed by the district in
> >1991 when salaries were radically cut (with the promise of greater
> >benefits to compensate) has lost over $49,000 in salary in the 14
> >years since then.
> >
> >Anyway, some other districts don't have benefits as generous as
ours,
> >but they also have higher pay scales. The administration of our
> >district wants to have its cake and eat it too -- salaries similar
to
> >the lowest-paying districts, benefits similar to the higher-
salaried
> >ones. Teachers are being painted as villains because they are
> >balking at paying for the mistakes of past administrators. Now, of
> >course, the kids shouldn't have to pay for these mistakes either!
> >But the kids will pay either way; they will either lose good
programs
> >if teachers are compensated fairly, or they will lose good teachers
> >(to other districts and professions) if they are not. When
teachers
> >lose, kids lose too. When kids lose, so do teachers. It's a
> >terrible dilemma to be involved with.
> >
> >Ralph
> >
> >--- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Rebecca Hazlewood <rah_tax@s...>
> >wrote:
> > > Ralph, the moral high road also asks you to explain why our
> >district is reducing program in order to pay for benefits that very
> >few other districts have. I agree with you about teachers. I come
> >from the teacher class. The earliest ancestor that we have traced,
on
> >my mothers side, was a teacher in Italy, Biaggio DeAndreis. On my
> >father's side, his grandfather founded the Weyland Academy in
Beaver
> >Dam, Wisc. My dad's aunt was Miss Beebe, a life time teacher.
> > >
> > > Please read my next posting. The greedy administrators one.
There
> >is something wrong with the entire system. How can we find a
solution
> >to the current educational problem? I don't know, but believe me,
my
> >mother, who was a teacher would not sit comfortably with me trying
to
> >blame teachers Her first assignment was to a school in the BayView
> >Hunters Point. I have a picture of her and her first class. The
year
> >was 1943. I really want us all to try and come to grips with the
> >problem. Why can't this state educate it's children?
> > >
> > > Rebecca
> > >
> > > ralphebedwell <ralphebedwell@y...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Rebecca,
> > >
> > > I feel like you have unfairly mischaracterized my remarks. Most
> > > teachers are extremely dedicated professionals who entered the
> > > profession for the best of reasons and who continue to embrace
that
> > > same motivation. I know/have known a lot of teachers, and I can
> > > honestly say that I've never met one who didn't care intensely
> >about
> > > the kids, nor one who entered the profession in order to obtain
a
> >job
> > > that they could keep whether they were good at it or not.
However,
> > > all are human beings too, with families of their own to support,
> > > rents or mortgages to pay, etc. Sometimes it seems as if people
> > > think that teachers should deny themselves a middle class-level
> > > existence in order to prove that their intentions are genuine
and
> > > pure; these two things are not mutually exclusive! Basically,
all
> > > teachers are asking here is to stay even -- to not be net losers
> >when
> > > it comes to compensation, working conditions, and job security.
> >That
> > > doesn't seem like too much to ask when it comes to people with
such
> > > an important job. How can society expect to attract enough of
the
> > > best and brightest if it expects them to simultaneously don the
> >cloak
> > > of self-denial?
> > >
> > > Ralph
> > >
> > > --- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Rebecca Hazlewood
<rah_tax@s...>
> > > wrote:
> > > > Marsha, I knew that Charter Schools were on the erradicate
list
> >of
> > > the public school political infrastructure, when my younger son
was
> > > at Harding. This was probably in about 1996. Harding had an SSC
> > > member, who was an employee of the UC Berkeley Education Dept.
> > > >
> > > > This particular day I was sitting in the playground at Harding
> > > watching my kid play with several other Harding kids, including
his
> > > kids. His wife was there also (she was also a UC Berkeley Dept
of
> > > Education employee) It was a nice warm day, probably a late
> >Friday
> > > afternoon. All seemed right with the world. I made the simple
> > > comment, "Isn't this new charter school alternative great."
> >thinking
> > > they would like it because they were education people.
Immediately
> > > they both went into an incredible litany of criticisms against
> > > charter schools. They had facts, and stats at the ready. Of
> >course,
> > > I had no response since Charter Schools at that point were so
new.
> > > >
> > > > But, at that point I immediately discerned that the
educational
> > > establishment was against Charter Schools, which they in fact
had
> > > created. It is interesting to create an alternative and then do
> > > everything you can to sabotage it. That is the history of
Charter
> > > Schools in this state.
> > > >
> > > > Ralph makes it sound like the only thing teachers care about
is
> > > their benefits and job security. Then teachers are no different
> >than
> > > any other civil servant, who join the civil service to ensure
some
> > > kind of job security, whether they can do their job or not. I
> > > actually have relatives who did just that, joined the civil
service
> > > for job security. While not a bad motive, it cannot be the
driver
> >for
> > > an institution that is so important to our society as education.
> > > >
> > > > Rebecca
> > > >
> > > > ralphebedwell <ralphebedwell@y...> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Marsha,
> > > >
> > > > I'm sure that many teachers would enthusiastically embrace the
> > > > freedoms and possibilities of charter schools if it didn't
mean a
> > > > possible reduction in their compensation and job security.
> >They're
> > > > not exactly getting rich to start with, so any reduction
would be
> > > > painful for most. I'm certain that workers in any profession
> >would
> > > > be hesitant to commit to reforms that essentially said, "the
end
> > > > result might be better for our customers if you workers would
> >take
> > > > less while running a greater risk of becoming unemployed."
> > > > Obviously, workers in a few specialized areas (airlines, most
> > > > notably) have been forced to make this choice in recent
history,
> > > but
> > > > few, if any, in any profession would embrace it uncritically.
> > > >
> > > > Ralph
> > > >
> > > > --- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Marsha Williamson
> > > > <mswilliamson@l...> wrote:
> > > > > Thanks for the clarifications about Manzanita, Hallie.
> > > > > I knew you would come through!
> > > > > Actually, we could require parent involvement as a criterion
> > > > > for student/family participation at any school in the
district,
> > > if
> > > > that
> > > > > school underwent 1)the chartering process or 2)possibly even
> > > without
> > > > > a charter if the teachers' union and district admin. would
> >grant
> > > and
> > > > > exception. My info about this is over ten years old -- I
was
> >very
> > > > > involved in looking at alternative public elementary school
> > > models
> > > > when
> > > > > my kids were
> > > > > small and this was one that was going strong in several So.
Cal.
> > > > > districts
> > > > > at the time, even in schools without Charter status. The
rules
> > > of
> > > > the
> > > > > game
> > > > > may have changed since the inception of Charter school
> > > alternatives.
> > > > > The buy-in process requires motivation on the part of the
> > > teachers
> > > > and
> > > > > district administrators, because rules and perks must be
> > > tweaked.
> > > > At
> > > > > the risk of getting my head chopped off, I will say that
unions
> > > are
> > > > not
> > > > > friends of these alternative models for lots of reasons that
> >have
> > > > to do
> > > > > primarily with salary benefits and power structure. That is
> >why
> > > > these
> > > > > models require a small trusting community of learners
(parents
> > > > teachers
> > > > > students) in order to be successful. In all these schools,
> >parent
> > > > > involvement is not the issue.
> > > > > I have broached the topic of creating Charter High Schools
in
> >our
> > > > > district
> > > > > and the silence has been deafening.
> > > > > Marsha
> > > > >
> > > > > Hallie Friedman wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I wanted to make a correction to your reference to the
> >selective
> > > > > > admission policy at Manzanita. My daughter attended 2
years at
> > > > > > Manzanita and I have remained in touch. You do have to
apply
> >to
> > > > > > Manzanita, and because of how well the school has been
doing,
> > > the
> > > > > > process has become very competitive. But the selection is
not
> > > > based
> > > > > > on academic achievement, although I do believe they can
> >exclude
> > > > kids
> > > > > > with violent histories, but they state they will consider
> >kids
> > > who
> > > > > > have been expelled/suspended on an individual basis (see
their
> > > > > > website and charter for full details: www.manzy.org).
There
> >are
> > > > > > several categories of application:1) just apply, 2)
> >contribute
> > > 75
> > > > > > hours or 3) contribute 10 hours of volunteer time to
qualify
> >for
> > > > > > priority 1 and 2 registration. They then rank the 3
different
> > > > > > categories of application and when there are more
> >applications
> > > > than
> > > > > > spaces, they do a lottery, taking from priority 1, then 2,
> >then
> > > if
> > > > > > space is left those that applied without volunteering.
This
> >year
> > > > > > they had many more priority 1 applications than they have
> >space
> > > > > > (ie: a large number of families did 75 hours of volunteer
> >time
> > > > this
> > > > > > year and still didn't get in!). They would really benefit
> >from a
> > > > > > location that would better serve their needs and provide
> > > > additional
> > > > > > classroom space to accomodate the many now wanting
admission,
> > > > > > although they still want to remain relatively small. And
yes
> > > many
> > > > of
> > > > > > the kids went onto to private schools, but there is a
small
> > > group
> > > > > > (about 8-10) who are at El Cerrito this year as Freshman.
> >There
> > > > are
> > > > > > several wonderful things about Manzanita - the energy and
joy
> > > of
> > > > the
> > > > > > teaching staff and the involvement of parents.
Unfortunately,
> > > > unlike
> > > > > > Manzanita, we cannot require parent involvement in the
> >district
> > > > > > schools as we can at Manzanita. I do believe it is the
> >critical
> > > > > > element in its success.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, "ralphebedwell"
> > > > > > <ralphebedwell@y...> wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Marsha,
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Thanks for all the information. I do think you left out
> >one
> > > of
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > most important factors in the success of these schools:
> >both
> > > > have
> > > > > > > selective admissions policies. As I understand it,
there
> >is a
> > > > > > heavy
> > > > > > > parent participation element that is required for
admission
> >to
> > > > > > > Manzanita. For Middle College, students must go
through a
> > > > > > > competitive admissions process -- submitting an
> >application, a
> > > > > > piece
> > > > > > > of writing, transcripts, recommendations, etc. In my
> >opinion,
> > > > > > this
> > > > > > > makes these schools fundamentally different from the
other
> > > > schools
> > > > > > in
> > > > > > > the district, who admit all comers. I don't think it's
> >fair
> > > to
> > > > > > judge
> > > > > > > them in the same pool by the same criteria.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Ralph
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Marsha Williamson
> > > > > > > <mswilliamson@l...> wrote:
> > > > > > > > I know a bit about the two schools identified
> > > > as "Distinguished"
> > > > > > in
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > WCCUSD.
> > > > > > > > In our district, the only schools that had a chance of
> > > > qualifying
> > > > > > > > have been selected. For high schools, there are
criteria
> > > > > > relating
> > > > > > > to
> > > > > > > > satisfying UC A-G requirements as well as
> > > > student "performance"
> > > > > > > > criteria. Albany High can't apply because certain
> >required
> > > > > > course
> > > > > > > > sequences are not offered (in foreign language, for
> >example)
> > > > > > which
> > > > > > > would
> > > > > > > > be easily offered at MCHS, which
> > > > > > > > operates in the context of Contra Costa Community
College.
> > > > > > > > As for Manzanita, the school was founded with parent
> > > > > > > > involvement and participation as its principle tenet.
> >It's
> > > an
> > > > > > > offshoot
> > > > > > > > of the private K-5 school Crestmont, which
> > > > > > > > was originally founded many years ago by a group of
> >parents
> > > > who
> > > > > > > > believed that learning experiences for their kids
should
> >be
> > > > about
> > > > > > > > going out into the world via field trips (with
> > > parent/teacher)
> > > > > > > > supervision to learn how the world works and where
> > > they "fit"
> > > > in
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > world. The people
> > > > > > > > who started Manzanita are amazing and passionate about
> > > > educating
> > > > > > > > their kids in a safe, nurturing environment filled
with
> > > > > > > possibilities
> > > > > > > > for
> > > > > > > > academic and creative exploration.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I say "Congratulations!!" to both schools for they
truly
> >are
> > > > > > > > "Distinguished", representing successful models that
still
> > > > > > > > exist within the quagmire we call public K-12
education.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Please also note, that the success of both models
depends
> > > > > > > > not only on the specifics I have outlined above, but
on
> >(at
> > > > > > least)
> > > > > > > three
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > other important features:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > 1) Teachers in both models operate outside of local
> >school
> > > > > > district
> > > > > > > > rules and reward systems. MCHS teachers may or may
not
> >have
> > > > > > > secondary
> > > > > > > > credentials. They are, for the most part, community
> >college
> > > > > > > > instructors. Teachers at Manzanita have multiple or
> >single
> > > > > > subject
> > > > > > > K-12
> > > > > > > > credentials (or temp. credentials), but do not accrue
> > > > seniority
> > > > > > in
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > WCCUSD union driven system, so long as they teach at
> > > > Manzanita.
> > > > > > > > Motivation to create a successful school is community
> >based
> > > > and
> > > > > > all
> > > > > > > > about the welfare of the student body.
> > > > > > > > 2) School sizes are small -- everybody knows
> >your "name",
> > > so
> > > > > > > > to speak. Individual student strengths are valued,
and
> > > > > > creativity
> > > > > > > in
> > > > > > > > areas
> > > > > > > > of interest and talent is encouraged and explored.
> > > > > > > > 3) Programs are tailored to individual student needs.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > So this is what I know.
> > > > > > > > Marsha Williamson
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Diane Egelston wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I was curious about that, too. Here's
the "California
> > > School
> > > > > > > > > Recognition Program" website:
> > > > > > > > > http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Here's the basis for selection:
> > > > > > > > > http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/basis05.asp
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I haven't yet had time to read this carefully, but
one
> >of
> > > > the
> > > > > > > criteria
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > that caught my eye was
> > > > > > > > > " Support for student learning through family
> >involvement
> > > > and
> > > > > > > > > partnerships with business and community groups"
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Among other things, I am eagerly looking forward to
the
> > > > ideas
> > > > > > > from our
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > new Community Engagement Coordinator as to how we
might
> > > > develop
> > > > > > > > > meaningful community partnerships.
> > > > > > > > > -Diane
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > On Apr 21, 2005, at 12:27 AM, Charley Cowens wrote:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Yes, you're right. In addition, these are very
small
> > > > schools
> > > > > > > > > (250-ish
> > > > > > > > > > and 125-ish respectively) and relatively isolated
> > > from?
> > > > the
> > > > > > > > > > instructional "leadership" of? the District
> > > > administration
> > > > > > > > > > (alternative and charter respectively).
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > To me, the really interesting question apropos
our
> > > > > > discussion
> > > > > > > of
> > > > > > > > > what
> > > > > > > > > > makes a good school is why a school is declared a
> > > > > > Distinguished
> > > > > > > > > > School. I didn't see anything about this in the
> > > article.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been
removed]
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------
----
> >--
> > > --
> > > > ---
> > > > > > ---
> > > > > > > -
> > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > > > > > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
> > > > > > > > > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
Yahoo!
> > > > Terms
> > > > > > of
> > > > > > > > > Service.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------
----
> >--
> > > --
> > > > -
> > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > > > >
> > > > > > * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> > > > > >
> > > > > > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > > > > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms
> >of
> > > > > > Service.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ---------------------------------
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > >
> > > > To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> > > >
> > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > > >
> > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> > > Service.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > > To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> >Service.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
From Times today about the safety meeting and District Police,
_______________________________________________________________________________
Board members said something needs to change but expressed concern over how
to pay for any of the plans, which would cost $3.2 million to $4.7 million.
Several said the board needs to slow down and craft a more comprehensive
safety package.
"All of a sudden, we're being told we have to triple our budget in this
area," said board member Charles Ramsey. "That to me is stunning. We have to
take a step back."
_______________________________________________________________________________
NEED TO SLOW DOWN? The information that the district policing
recommendations are based on has been around since 2001. FOUR YEARS ago for
the benefit of those who learned math in this district.
Three of the five Board Members were in their Board of Education chairs when
the 2001 District Police Department audit was done that showed change was
needed. Now one of the longest standing board members states, "That to me
this is stunning. We have to take a step back."
Step back to 2001. I disagree, we need to move forward. We do not need one
more study as suggested in the article. The study was done and shelved. We
do not need another study as a door stop or dust collector. We need
leadership willing to do what was recommended four years ago. Pull out the
duster, clean off the 2001 Audit open it up and implement it and save money
and time from another audit and Blue Ribbon panel that will simply waste
more of the community's time.
This is the leadership you have entrusted your children to. What a sad state
of affairs when the leadership will not even admit they buried the report
and then put an unmarked wooden cross on the site hoping no one would find
it.
The ghost has come back to haunt the three board members and now they wish
to plead ignorance and of course the public will go along with it to save
what little crumbs are thrown at their school sites from this administration
and board.
Amazing.
Also, if you did not catch my last post, watch out Site Councils your MRAD
funds are to be raided again this year unless these same Board Members stop
it. Keep your peepers on those MRAD funds. This will be my theme for awhile,
as I learned this district is pulling another R-9 manipulation as they did
when my kids went to Murphy and we lost our MRAD funds and County R-9
funding got stuck picking up the tab. A little history from one who
remembers.
Kevin
Kevin-
I was there for the whole thing, at least physically. I found it to be
strange since there was no real package at all available online before
the study session. Once I arrived there, the crowd seemed mostly to be
a Local One supporting crowd and not quite as packed with other people
as I expected, but there was still a good attendance. In starting up,
the main point seemed to be to lavish as much as praise as possible on
Pinole officials. The discussion was divided into two separate topics,
safety stuff and personnel reorganization. The safety stuff part
involved presentations listed in the agenda. The reorg part involved
duelling plans from Local One and the staff. In the meeting there was
no attempt to formally define what the problem to be solved was as a
first step in either case. I know these things have been talked about
a lot before, but I think not everyone has been part of the same
discussion. In the second half, Local One plan's key point was that
they could have more bodies at a price less than the sheriff's plan
presented before by $250K (still an increase overall though). The
staff presentation involve 4 scenarios ranging from 600K to 2,000K in
required extra funding and claimed that the Local One plan would
actually cost 2,400K in extra funding for next year. So, at the May
4th meeting, both side will have new plans.
I don't have time to get into the interesting Board comments right
now, but I thought I'd ask you about a question Karen Fenton had about
whether POST training was reimbursable by the State POST agency and
thus a solution for the training needs of the existing department. The
WCCUSD chief said that funding wasn't always available and that
somehow it wasn't enough.
Charley Cowens
On 4/28/05, Kevin Rivard <kfrivard@...> wrote:
> I was attending the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) meeting last
> night from 5:30 to 8:30.
>
> Did anyone attend the safety meeting at Pinole High that could give a recap?
>
> By the way, MRAD funds are being used in ways that will cut back on the
> availability of MRAD funds that were to go to your school site. Much the
> same way TIIG funding and Title 1 funding is being diverted by the Central
> Administration for district programs rather than site programs. I realize no
> on seems to care but I just wanted to bring it to your attention so some
> could not plead ignorance in the future. An example is $170,000 from MRAD is
> being proposed for a soccer field at Sheldon. Some schools will have to
> forgo their annual MRAD funding to subsidize that payment in my opinion.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
Here's the message Marsha was trying to forward.
Cathy
Dear Friend:
As a former classroom teacher, I recognize that our public schools are
under-funded. As leader of the State Senate, I know that we must move
beyond the "business as usual" budget debates that allow only for no-win
choices between absolute necessities. We can not afford to pit funding
education against providing health care for people with low-incomes any
longer. We must raise taxes to pay for schools.
I have been working with my colleagues on legislation to restore the
highest quality public education in California. This year, a top goal of
Democratic legislators is to increase per pupil funding in California by
about $670, bringing our state up to the national average. We also aim to
bring additional funding to schools most in need of support.
I am authoring SB 1X, which would replace Average Daily Attendance with
Average Monthly Enrollment as the primary funding formula as well as amend
the formula to better support districts who serve students with greater
needs, such as limited English skills or those with low-incomes.
My colleagues have joined me in this effort by introducing these companion
bills:
SB 428 would reform block grant funding.
SB 1053 would grant schools site decision making and allow schools to
develop models to improve student achievement.
SB 687 will help ensure that school officials, parents, and local
communities have sufficient information about education resource allocation.
SB 958 would protect schools that are losing funding due to declining
student enrollment.
SB 657 would provide significant new flexibility to local education
agencies in choosing instructional materials that best meet the needs of
their students.
SB 517 would postpone school districts from withholding diplomas from
students who fail the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) until the
school district offers students the minimum conditions necessary for
successfully passing the CAHSEE.
SCA 8 would allow local school districts to approve a local parcel tax with
a 55 percent majority rather than the two-thirds majority currently
required, making it easier for school districts to raise funds.
Please tell Governor Schwarzenegger you support our efforts to improve
public education by visiting: www.govmail.ca.gov. As always, I value your
input.
DON PERATA
Charley,
Karen Fenton has been a board member since 1994. The District Police Audit
was conducted in 2001. One of the recommendations was "establish a revolving
fund for training which will be replenished by reimbursement from POST
various courses." Karen was a Board Member before, during and after the
audit and still is and why she has asking questions like this when she has
been privy to that information for over four years now is beyond me. Why she
and her other two colleagues, Price and Ramsey who were Board Members
before, during and after the very same audit have sat on this information
for four years and done nothing with the information is unacceptable.
Do not ask me the below question, ask those three Board members who
participated in the audit and while you are at it ask the two new board
members for a review of that audit to bring themselves up to speed and to
refresh the memories of the Administration. Ask for the original purchase
requisitions for the audit, the original Board packets and the minutes and
votes that are associated with that Audit and subsequent board meetings. See
if Paul can find the tapes and then we all can hear who has not done their
job.
Kevin
>From: Charley Cowens <charley.cowens@...>
>Reply-To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
>To: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [wccusdtalk] Safety meeting
>Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:36:59 -0700
>
>Kevin-
>
>I was there for the whole thing, at least physically. I found it to be
>strange since there was no real package at all available online before
>the study session. Once I arrived there, the crowd seemed mostly to be
>a Local One supporting crowd and not quite as packed with other people
>as I expected, but there was still a good attendance. In starting up,
>the main point seemed to be to lavish as much as praise as possible on
>Pinole officials. The discussion was divided into two separate topics,
>safety stuff and personnel reorganization. The safety stuff part
>involved presentations listed in the agenda. The reorg part involved
>duelling plans from Local One and the staff. In the meeting there was
>no attempt to formally define what the problem to be solved was as a
>first step in either case. I know these things have been talked about
>a lot before, but I think not everyone has been part of the same
>discussion. In the second half, Local One plan's key point was that
>they could have more bodies at a price less than the sheriff's plan
>presented before by $250K (still an increase overall though). The
>staff presentation involve 4 scenarios ranging from 600K to 2,000K in
>required extra funding and claimed that the Local One plan would
>actually cost 2,400K in extra funding for next year. So, at the May
>4th meeting, both side will have new plans.
>
>I don't have time to get into the interesting Board comments right
>now, but I thought I'd ask you about a question Karen Fenton had about
>whether POST training was reimbursable by the State POST agency and
>thus a solution for the training needs of the existing department. The
>WCCUSD chief said that funding wasn't always available and that
>somehow it wasn't enough.
>
>Charley Cowens
>
>
>On 4/28/05, Kevin Rivard <kfrivard@...> wrote:
> > I was attending the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) meeting
>last
> > night from 5:30 to 8:30.
> >
> > Did anyone attend the safety meeting at Pinole High that could give a
>recap?
> >
> > By the way, MRAD funds are being used in ways that will cut back on the
> > availability of MRAD funds that were to go to your school site. Much the
> > same way TIIG funding and Title 1 funding is being diverted by the
>Central
> > Administration for district programs rather than site programs. I
>realize no
> > on seems to care but I just wanted to bring it to your attention so some
> > could not plead ignorance in the future. An example is $170,000 from
>MRAD is
> > being proposed for a soccer field at Sheldon. Some schools will have to
> > forgo their annual MRAD funding to subsidize that payment in my opinion.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Kevin
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
Dear WCCUSDlist: I have given this matter a lot of thought, that of laying off
all the Site Supervisors and contracting with the Contra Costa Sheriff's Dept
and I have come to the conclusion that it is a bad idea. There just isn't any
basis provided for the action and there are too many unanswered questions. My
suggestion is that we leave things as they are for the coming school year and
reopen the issue next school year and really expect some answers so that an
informed decision can be made.
So I vote no to a contract with the Sheriff's Dept and this is not a slam
against the Sheriff's Dept.
Rebecca
rcs101@... wrote:
--Tammy:
I did not say all police are bad, but I did say depending on who you are and
what community you come from it does make a difference in the way one view the
police or interact with them. Glen alluded to this same type of perception, when
the issue about the military recruiters coming on school campuses came up. If it
upset you to hear that some have a different perspective of the police, that is
sad for you. But the fact that the police is perceive differently by different
groups and communities is "researched based", therefore, the board has a
responsibility to really look at this issues, not only in terms of cost, but the
many other areas that could have an impact on the education of all students.
This may upset some, but many believe that the school are preparing many
students for jail, therefore, this new proposal of city police feeds right into
this belief. So again, there should be community forums on this subject and not
just in Pinole.
Scottie Smith
-------------- Original message from Rebecca Hazlewood <rah_tax@...>:
--------------
>
> Charley: I think your posting is a very realistic, supposition about the
> district's motivation. The back story to this whole police issue could be the
> question of liability. After all the City of El Cerrito no longer has any
swings
> in any of its playgrounds because of liability concerns.
>
> Rebecca
>
> Charley Cowens wrote:
> I didn't get police-as-bullies from Scottie's posting. Interacting
> more directly with the police will lead to jail as a more likely
> outcome for students. Depending on your point of view, this may be a
> bad thing or a good thing, but it doesn't have to do necessarily with
> the personal characteristics of the police.
>
> Am I the only person on this list who thinks the real story with the
> 5-year old is just how paralyzed with fear of litigation and attitudes
> staff and teachers are in dealing with discipline in school such that
> they feel compelled to call in the relatively more litigation-proof
> police to deal with discipline problems?
>
> Charley Cowens
>
> On 4/27/05, Tammera Campbell wrote:
> >
> > Scottie,
> > Let me remind you that under Chief Bill Lansdowne, Richmond Chief a few
years
> back, Richmond PD officers were stationed on Richmond and Kennedy campuses
> because of the violence. At that time Bill instituted truancy sweeps and got
> the kids off the street and back into school at the cost to the city. As I
> recall the students and the officers developed a relationships, but then again
> let's stereotype all cops as harsh, rough, tough, get in your face people.
When
> ! we lived in Richmond for 13 years and Chris was crime prevention chairman
for 7
> years, we worked with the neighborhoods and the police to try and improve
> communication and crime in the city. That was when the neighborhood councils
> were born and crime actually diminished in the city. So if everyone is going
to
> jump to the conclusion that every cop is bad and a bully, then I need to walk
> away from this conversation.
> > Tammy Campbell
> >
> > rcs101@... wrote:
> >
> > --Hello all:
> >
> > I guess you saw or heard about the kindergartener who was arrested in
Florida.
> I hope this is not the direction this district will be going in with its new
> policing policy in this district. I haven't had much time to read all the
> e-mails about this new "money saving" direction, but I would think there are
> other ways to save money, rather than cutting the jobs of some of our lowest
> paid, less benefits and a group of employee that are the first to give up
money
> for the children.
> >
> > It seems strange to me that the new safety policy that would turn schools
into
> a police campus is coming up now. I can remember when kids at Kennedy and
> Richmond high was dying and all kinds of violents was occurring, but the
thought
> or talk about saftey was not a high priority, but now, schools will not only
be
> a place where students can't learn, but where they will be taken of to jails.
> What's up with education.
> >
> > Scottie Smith
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > To visit your group on the web, go to:
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> >
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> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
> >
> > Tammera (Tammy) E. Campbell
> > Pinole CARE
> > Pinole Valley High Safety Chair
> > Pinole Valley High School Boosters
> > Pinole Middle School Site Council President
> > Pinole Middle School Measure D Committee
> > 2668 Alhambra Way
> > Pinole, CA 94564
> > Home: 510-223-3857
> > Work: 510-486-4460
> > Fax: 510-222-4643
> > Pager: 510-425-3192
> > Email: Tammera.Campbell@...
> >
> > Following are contacts for other email lists to consider joining:
> > Ellerhorst Elementary School: ellerhorst_etree@...
> > Collins Elementary School: alisoncrooks@...
> > Pinole Middle School: Tammera.Campbell@...
> > Pinole Valley High School: mikewitz2@...
> > Pinole CARE: parents@...
> > WCCUSD Parent Forum: wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> > http://mail.yahoo.com
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
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>
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>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions! of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
There is an excellent article in this week's East Bay Express, titled "The
Caustic Reformer," about Randy Ward and his efforts to reform the Oakland
Unified School District. The article is well written and very provacotive. I
highly recommend it to all of us stakeholders.
There are so many layers and levels to this article that I won't attempt to
synopsize it. But it starts with the Edmonton model, which until I read this
article, I did not have a clue about when posters on this list would refer to
it.
Rebecca
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Here's a link to the
article: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/current/news/feature.html
Cathy
At 05:53 PM 4/29/2005, you wrote:
>There is an excellent article in this week's East Bay Express, titled "The
>Caustic Reformer," about Randy Ward and his efforts to reform the Oakland
>Unified School District. The article is well written and very
>provacotive. I highly recommend it to all of us stakeholders.
>
>There are so many layers and levels to this article that I won't attempt
>to synopsize it. But it starts with the Edmonton model, which until I read
>this article, I did not have a clue about when posters on this list would
>refer to it.
>
>Rebecca
Thanks Cathy for the link. I think this is a must read. Also, my spelling skills
are not what they used to be. Provocative, not provacotive.
Rebecca
Cathy Travlos <cbt@...> wrote:
Here's a link to the
article: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/current/news/feature.html
Cathy
At 05:53 PM 4/29/2005, you wrote:
>There is an excellent article in this week's East Bay Express, titled "The
>Caustic Reformer," about Randy Ward and his efforts to reform the Oakland
>Unified School District. The article is well written and very
>provacotive. I highly recommend it to all of us stakeholders.
>
>There are so many layers and levels to this article that I won't attempt
>to synopsize it. But it starts with the Edmonton model, which until I read
>this article, I did not have a clue about when posters on this list would
>refer to it.
>
>Rebecca
---------------------------------
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To visit your group on the web, go to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Does anyone here know if there are regulations about how long school
districts have to keep records?
This came up as we were preparing for the presentation from the consultants
hired by Cathie Kosel to evaluate the GATE program. The folks at HTA were
fine, although members of the District Advisory Committee aren't too
pleased that they were only contracted to look at the 2002 plan, not at
current best practices or research. There were statements made in their
report like "traditionally" and "in the past" and we wanted to check on the
assumptions. Imagine our amazement to find that Cathie Kosel had all the
records before 1999 destroyed so there is no longer any information about
how many GATE kids were identified by school, by grade, by ethnicity, by
anything. Hard to evaluate what happens when you change something if you
now have nothing for comparison....
Cathy
Well Cathy, this is really strange as GATE records can't be like tax records,
which do have a three year window. Potential tax audits have a three year life.
It seems to me that GATE records can and should have been reduced to
spreadsheets quite easily, even back then, and kept in perpetuity, if for no
other reasons than statistical as Cathy suggests. I guess that my older son's
GATE records were destroyed, since he graduated in 1999. Do they want to
eliminate the GATE program?
To what end I ask? Is the district ashamed of its GATE students? I do remember
at both Madera and Harding that there were a fairly large group of GATE students
identified.Not all of them performed at a level that might be considered
acceptable, but that is not what GATE students are about. But, since the
records have been destroyed I guess we will never know. Sorry, wish I could
remember ethnic identity. I do remember at Harding that there was this kid, who
was a real trouble maker, but also a leader, a black kid who was GATE
identified. He may still be at ECHS. I remember that Chris Jackson at Madera was
GATE identified, but as I mentioned in a previous posting he was shot and killed
in front of Kennedy, when he was 14.
Sorry to hear about this.
Cathy Travlos <cbt@...> wrote:
Does anyone here know if there are regulations about how long school
districts have to keep records?
This came up as we were preparing for the presentation from the consultants
hired by Cathie Kosel to evaluate the GATE program. The folks at HTA were
fine, although members of the District Advisory Committee aren't too
pleased that they were only contracted to look at the 2002 plan, not at
current best practices or research. There were statements made in their
report like "traditionally" and "in the past" and we wanted to check on the
assumptions. Imagine our amazement to find that Cathie Kosel had all the
records before 1999 destroyed so there is no longer any information about
how many GATE kids were identified by school, by grade, by ethnicity, by
anything. Hard to evaluate what happens when you change something if you
now have nothing for comparison....
Cathy
---------------------------------
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To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wccusdtalk/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
wccusdtalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
-------- Original Message --------
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 10:30:26
To: ca-resisters@...
From: Peter Farruggio <pfarr@...>
Subject: [KPFAed] Columnist not a 'star' in state test
Printed in the San Francisco Chronicle
Columnist not a 'star' in state test
by C.W. Nevius
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Page B - 1
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/30/BAGKNCH\
QFV1.DTL
When it was suggested that I try a sample version of the STAR
(Standardized
Test and Reporting Program) test that California students are currently
taking, I figured I might have a little trouble with the math and science.
That turned out to be the understatement of the month. I was rolling right
along until I got to Algebra I.
"What,'' question nine asked, "is the factored form of 3aČ-24ab+48bČ?''
You're kidding, right?
Of the 16 sample questions in the ninth/10th-grade algebra test, I
correctly answered five, or 31 percent. Some of my misses were hilariously
off- target. For problem five, I thought the correct answer was six. It
was
two. Not even close.
In some ways, the right answers were worse. I got eight of 15 correct in
the chemistry section, barely 50 percent, but two of those were simply
wild
guesses that panned out.
So what does that show? That a middle-aged guy who hasn't taken a math or
science class for over 30 years can't tell you "the relationship between
the first ionization energy and the increase in atomic number''? Well,
that's true.
But there's a deeper concern here. You know how students and teachers are
complaining about these annual exercises in tedium? How they gripe that
the
STAR tests are full of arcane questions that have almost no relationship
to
everyday life? How these tests, which can last up to seven hours over five
days and have a huge impact on the future of local schools, are not a good
measure of learning?
They may have a point.
The idea to have some adults take a sample STAR test was the brainstorm of
Doris Ober and Richard Kirschman of Dogtown, up by Stinson Beach. They
were
interested because of local news reports about the nearby Lagunitas School
District, where some parents who did not approve of the tests were opting
out their kids. Ober and Kirschman decided to offer a sample test to
adults
who were interested.
Not all of them were. Ober says many were frankly worried that they'd be
"humiliated'' by their lack of success. Others, like Ober, were more
confident. As she said, she was among those "who like tests, expect to do
well in them, and looked forward to the challenge.''
Like certain cocky newspaper columnists, Ober says she and Kirschman
"realized immediately we were way over our heads'' in math and science.
Although she says she "aced'' the English, history and seventh-grade math
sections, she managed just one right answer in algebra, "probably by
accident. ''
When she tallied the results of the 146-question test (the actual STAR has
some 585 questions), she finished with a 67 percent. My total was higher,
but not much, just 71 percent. If those were the totals for a school, they
would be right on the brink of not demonstrating "adequate yearly
progress'' (AYP).
Schools who do not make their AYP levels, calculated against other schools
in the state and across the country, face sanctions, the most severe of
which could be reassignment of the staff and even the closing of the
school.
So while it is amusing for us adults to shrug helplessly when asked "Which
of the following atoms has six valence electrons?'' it is serious business
at the schools.
The result is a case of what sounds like a reasonable idea -- making sure
students meet a standard of learning -- turning into a counterproductive
mess.
For starters, the kids have no incentive to do well on the tests. The
score
doesn't affect their grade, nor does it help high-school students get into
college. It is just a long, boring week every year, spending hours filling
in multiple-choice bubbles.
Second, the teachers face pressure to "teach the test'' rather than
broader
concepts. Instead of critical thinkers, the ideal STAR test students would
be multiple-choice experts who have memorized catch phrases and equations.
Finally, many of the questions in the math and science sections are
incredibly obscure. Unless you are a mathematician or scientist, why would
you need to know that information later in life? Ober says several adults
remarked on "how little those subjects we failed at mean to our lives
today.''
And that's not to mention the inherent problems of multiple-choice tests.
They encourage guessing, are stressful, and most of them -- the STAR is no
exception -- feature trick questions designed to trip up test-takers
rather
than to evaluate learning.
Oh c'mon, you say. It can't be that bad. OK, smartie, try it yourself.
Sample tests can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp.
Let me know how you do.
(Just a hint: better brush up on congruent angles.)
C.W. Nevius' column appears Tuesdays and Saturdays in the Bay Area section
and Fridays in East Bay Life. E-mail him at cwnevius@....
I thought this column had an interesting perspective. I teach
language arts, not science or math, so I don't have much personal
knowledge of those aspects of the state tests. However, I will add
that I think the language arts portions of the tests DO directly
address skills that students will help students be successful in
later life. Reading comprehension, vocabulary, language conventions,
etc., all have direct application in higher education and the
workplace. As far as I can tell, the state tests do a reasonably
good job of testing these skills, given the limitations of the
multiple choice format. (I should add, since the article brings it
up, that critical thinking is an essential part of the language arts
curriculum; whether you are analyzing a text or drafting an essay,
you are utilizing these thinking skills to get the job done. I have
long thought that the REAL subject matter of language arts is
critical thinking, not reading and writing -- they are merely useful
byproducts of the thinking skills that we develop in the classroom.)
Ralph
--- In wccusdtalk@yahoogroups.com, Hulda Nystrom <huldanystrom@s...>
wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 10:30:26
> To: ca-resisters@i...
> From: Peter Farruggio <pfarr@c...>
> Subject: [KPFAed] Columnist not a 'star' in state test
>
> Printed in the San Francisco Chronicle
>
> Columnist not a 'star' in state test
> by C.W. Nevius
> Saturday, April 30, 2005
> Page B - 1
> http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
file=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/30/BAGKNCHQFV1.DTL
>
> When it was suggested that I try a sample version of the STAR
> (Standardized
> Test and Reporting Program) test that California students are
currently
> taking, I figured I might have a little trouble with the math and
science.
>
> That turned out to be the understatement of the month. I was
rolling right
>
> along until I got to Algebra I.
>
> "What,'' question nine asked, "is the factored form of 3aČ-
24ab+48bČ?''
>
> You're kidding, right?
>
> Of the 16 sample questions in the ninth/10th-grade algebra test, I
> correctly answered five, or 31 percent. Some of my misses were
hilariously
>
> off- target. For problem five, I thought the correct answer was
six. It
> was
> two. Not even close.
>
> In some ways, the right answers were worse. I got eight of 15
correct in
> the chemistry section, barely 50 percent, but two of those were
simply
> wild
> guesses that panned out.
>
> So what does that show? That a middle-aged guy who hasn't taken a
math or
> science class for over 30 years can't tell you "the relationship
between
> the first ionization energy and the increase in atomic number''?
Well,
> that's true.
>
> But there's a deeper concern here. You know how students and
teachers are
> complaining about these annual exercises in tedium? How they gripe
that
> the
> STAR tests are full of arcane questions that have almost no
relationship
> to
> everyday life? How these tests, which can last up to seven hours
over five
>
> days and have a huge impact on the future of local schools, are not
a good
>
> measure of learning?
>
> They may have a point.
>
> The idea to have some adults take a sample STAR test was the
brainstorm of
>
> Doris Ober and Richard Kirschman of Dogtown, up by Stinson Beach.
They
> were
> interested because of local news reports about the nearby Lagunitas
School
>
> District, where some parents who did not approve of the tests were
opting
> out their kids. Ober and Kirschman decided to offer a sample test to
> adults
> who were interested.
>
> Not all of them were. Ober says many were frankly worried that
they'd be
> "humiliated'' by their lack of success. Others, like Ober, were
more
> confident. As she said, she was among those "who like tests, expect
to do
> well in them, and looked forward to the challenge.''
>
> Like certain cocky newspaper columnists, Ober says she and
Kirschman
> "realized immediately we were way over our heads'' in math and
science.
> Although she says she "aced'' the English, history and seventh-
grade math
> sections, she managed just one right answer in algebra, "probably
by
> accident. ''
>
> When she tallied the results of the 146-question test (the actual
STAR has
>
> some 585 questions), she finished with a 67 percent. My total was
higher,
> but not much, just 71 percent. If those were the totals for a
school, they
>
> would be right on the brink of not demonstrating "adequate yearly
> progress'' (AYP).
>
> Schools who do not make their AYP levels, calculated against other
schools
>
> in the state and across the country, face sanctions, the most
severe of
> which could be reassignment of the staff and even the closing of the
> school.
>
> So while it is amusing for us adults to shrug helplessly when
asked "Which
>
> of the following atoms has six valence electrons?'' it is serious
business
>
> at the schools.
>
> The result is a case of what sounds like a reasonable idea --
making sure
> students meet a standard of learning -- turning into a
counterproductive
> mess.
>
> For starters, the kids have no incentive to do well on the tests.
The
> score
> doesn't affect their grade, nor does it help high-school students
get into
>
> college. It is just a long, boring week every year, spending hours
filling
>
> in multiple-choice bubbles.
>
> Second, the teachers face pressure to "teach the test'' rather than
> broader
> concepts. Instead of critical thinkers, the ideal STAR test
students would
>
> be multiple-choice experts who have memorized catch phrases and
equations.
>
> Finally, many of the questions in the math and science sections are
> incredibly obscure. Unless you are a mathematician or scientist,
why would
>
> you need to know that information later in life? Ober says several
adults
> remarked on "how little those subjects we failed at mean to our
lives
> today.''
>
> And that's not to mention the inherent problems of multiple-choice
tests.
> They encourage guessing, are stressful, and most of them -- the
STAR is no
>
> exception -- feature trick questions designed to trip up test-takers
> rather
> than to evaluate learning.
>
> Oh c'mon, you say. It can't be that bad. OK, smartie, try it
yourself.
> Sample tests can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp.
>
> Let me know how you do.
>
> (Just a hint: better brush up on congruent angles.)
>
> C.W. Nevius' column appears Tuesdays and Saturdays in the Bay Area
section
>
> and Fridays in East Bay Life. E-mail him at cwnevius@s...
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