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Jack Weir April 29, 2013 at 01:37 pm
Truancy in MDUSD is just one of a myriad of issues that will challenge the new district…Read More superintendent, and further justifies the recent firing of Dr. Lawrence. From a taxpayer perspective, truancy, drop-out and dismal graduation data illustrate why we need a complete reform of the public education system.
Teachers unions will vehemently oppose any voucher program, which have been so successful across the nation, but the outstanding success of the Clayton Valley Charter High School model offers an great opportunity for local reform. Kudos to MDUSD Trustee Hansen and County Superintendent Ovick for supporting this experiment.
One more time with feeling April 30, 2013 at 07:08 pm
Yes. So busy that school for their children is not a priority.
Many are the same parents who…Read More complain about too much homework (interfering with soccer, football, ballet, swimming, water polo, la crosse, basketball, volleyball, etc.) and set the example for their children when they talk/text while driving, drink too much alcohol, drive under the influence, and otherwise lose sight of the fact that their children are watching their parents' example... including pulling the children from class for all the different reasons that always seem to fall under that over-used rationale of "but it is an educational experience" when most of the time it really is not.
In my opinion, it is more about the parents' arrogance than being busy or negligent.
filiberto castorena April 29, 2013 at 07:29 pm
Skipping out after the STAR testing? I'll have to see on that one. Seems like a while until the end…Read More of the school year after testing. I know of a couple kids that were out during schooltime for Sylvan testing, Kumon, etc., not sure if they count those. Besides that we get some of the highest test scores around. It's probably just busy parents more so than negligance.
Jack Weir April 29, 2013 at 08:39 pm
The termination of the superintendent and general counsel was not a knee-jerk action. Over the past…Read More several years both have exhibited an arrogant attitude toward public participation, and have engaged in "under the table" actions that have wasted tens of millions of tax dollars, brought discredit to the district and caused low morale.
Although I'm not privy to the board's specific intentions, based on conversations during and since the election campaign I believe the main thrust will be:
>Shifting the district's focus from Dent Center bureaucracy to positive programs at local school sites;
>Making clear the board's expectation that all district employees will work with high personal integrity and professionalism;
>Ensuring that district resources are spent with a priority on the classroom, and
>Insisting that the public is treated with respect and that the district's public records are made available as required by law.
Mary Gray April 29, 2013 at 04:58 pm
Mr. Weir,
Since you appear to know something, perhaps you can clue us in as to what the MDUSD…Read More Board's game plan is? To my knowledge, they have not articulated any plan other than to get rid of Messrs. Rolen and Lawrence. Perhaps you and Mr. Shuey, who endorsed the efforts of CVCHS to drain approximately $1.7 million or more from our kids in the MDUSD can now go have a beer and celebrate, but this turmoil cannot be good for PH kids or schools...
Annette April 29, 2013 at 06:31 am
@gregargoyle
I, too, recall the days of McHenry and company, and without any particular fondness.…Read More I was not impressed that he was replaced so much for the sake of change as it was necessity - and long overdue at that. And why did we have McHenry for so long, when he made stupid mistakes that cost the District time and again (while driving his District-leased Mercedes)? Because the Board did not have the either the conviction or the courage to do what was necessary in a timely manner. Fortunately, there appear to be some on this Board who do not suffer that problem.
There are far too many instances where dead wood is kept afloat simply because it requires less energy than addressing the mounting consequence. It may yet be borne out that nipping things in the proverbial bud may be the best thing that could happen here. It will be up to the Board to search, scrutinize, and thoroughly evaluate the potential problems in the past history of the candidate before extending an offer to a new prospective superintendent.
The Merry One April 29, 2013 at 03:10 pm
Seriously? Do you really expect kids who live in south Walnut Creek to walk to WCI? Safety issues…Read More aside, how many hours do you think this would take to and from?
srl99 April 27, 2013 at 07:45 pm
Do you need a survey? The kids are DRIVEN to school. Example: Walnut Creek Intermediate - there are…Read More over four lanes of traffic for pick-up/drop-off. [Let's count - 2 inside the property (check the pavement markings), one curb lane and one traffic lane on the west side of Walnut, and one lane on the east side.] WC kids can't walk?
Mom of the Horde April 26, 2013 at 01:51 pm
My elementary aged kids get a ride to and from school because we live too far away to walk, and the…Read More last mile of the route lacks sidewalks or adequate shoulders for cyclists. My middle school aged student gets a ride to school because it's on my way home from the elementary school.
The traffic situation around the elementary schools wasn't THIS bad when the students had staggered start/release times. Maybe it might be worth considering going back to that to ease some of the traffic issues.
A few years ago our elementary school did a survey on busing. Many families would be willing to have their kids ride a bus, but few were willing to actually pay for that service the way Lamorinda families do.
Julie Jepsen-Grant April 29, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Bummer, I went to the city meeting last Saturday for the 'schools' discussion on fiscal…Read More sustainability, but the agenda was changed to 'library'.
I managed to stay at the meeting for a little over an hour.
Here is what we learned at the meeting:
The Lafayette Library Foundation pays for 17 extra hours for their library to be open.
The Friends of the Lafayette Library pays for 6 extra hours.
Julie Jepsen-Grant April 29, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Bummer, I went to the city meeting last Saturday for the 'schools' discussion on fiscal…Read More sustainability, but the agenda was changed to 'library'.
I managed to stay at the meeting for a little over an hour.
Here is what we learned at the meeting:
The Lafayette Library Foundation pays for 17 extra hours for their library to be open.
The Friends of the Lafayette Library pays for 6 extra hours.
nora urany April 25, 2013 at 12:40 pm
With these great results I hope at the meeting they discuss how to keep Common Core out of our…Read More schools. In many states like Illinois they are working hard with the parents, teachers and their congressional representatives to stop the implication of Common Core which will ruin our schools. Parents should go on line and read how this Common Core will be used to tell parents what classes their kids can take, all their kids personal information will be put into a data base and they will then be able to tell them if they can go to college or not. The text books that will be used are slanted with information so the Federal government will decide what your child will be and how. They are also working on a way to ban home schooling because they cannot control the information being taught. Parents and teachers need to read and learn more about the implications of Common Core before they have it shoved down our throats and our schools get ruined.
Craig Smith March 28, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Every "holiday" at Bancroft elementary has a class party associated with it in which…Read More various sugary snacks are abunduntly served. Yes there is also a call for carrots, apples and other healthy snacks but you can guess which runs out first. I send a healthy lunch with my daughters every day but this practice of serving candy, donuts, cookies, cake, etc. should stop. The district polices the cafeteria but the individual classrooms are where the damage is done.
Jill Buschini March 18, 2013 at 10:05 pm
Must be a slow news day! Just so you know, all the PTA's within the WCSD, AUHSD & MDSD are…Read More electing in their 2013-14 Executive Boards this month & next. Check your school's PTA website.
filiberto castorena March 13, 2013 at 12:37 pm
I agree with Jesika, she was one of those special people. There were only a few people in the…Read More community that you felt like that with. Most people wouldnt spit on you if your hair was on fire, but with her it didnt matter if you were young, old, poor, rich, black, white, she was very kind and generous.
Jesika Kern March 6, 2013 at 05:14 am
I am so saddened to learn of the passing of such an incredible woman. Our kids went to school…Read More together since Kindergarten and I never really fit in with the moms at Walnut Heights. Susan always made me feel welcome and at ease. She would say hello to me with her smiling eyes and warm smile and she was just an awesome lady! My heart breaks for her boys and for her husband. They are such a beautiful family. Susan's boys were such a huge part of her life, I know they will miss her so much. Rest in peace Susan, and thank you for being such a beautiful soul!
Lauren Prater March 5, 2013 at 08:17 pm
If the court said that Prep Sportswear’s use of the terms didn’t infringe any trademark,…Read More then that’s what the law is. Why should any organization be able to control all the prices and products when customers aren’t really confused about where the products come from? If someone wants to spend a lot more and benefit the school by their purchase, they can certainly choose to do that, but that doesn’t mean the law can shut down all fair competition. -Lauren Prater
Jack Enright March 5, 2013 at 03:38 pm
Anyone who lives in northern California and is interested in high school football is likely aware of…Read More De La Salle (DLS) and their sports prowess. To think that the name "DLS Spartans" would be confused with a primary grade school located somewhere else in the country, and therefore should be exempt from protected status, is ludicrous. The law may not account for regional recognition of a school and mascot name, but in this case, the law certainly falls short of common sense. Jack Enright
Chris Nicholson March 1, 2013 at 03:46 pm
@Ryan: She didn't say "I'd rather not discuss that," she said (more or less) "I have…Read More no recollection of what happened." In any case, my interest is not prurient-- it is from a legal/moral/policy perspective.
To be clear, I have no doubt that Kristen has suffered horribly from the criminal acts of Correa and that she is morally entitled monetary damages from those responsible/liable. I'm just not sure if the District is liable for the full measure of her harm (either morally or legally).
Ryan March 1, 2013 at 03:35 pm
@Chris: I think there are a few people that might know about what Witters did to Kristen but she…Read More probably didn't need to go into specific details on the tv show since there is a lawsuit going on. But since you are able to monetize abuse so easily you probably need your morbid curiosity appeased so you can wrap your brain about how much cash she should earn for the Witters piece. I'm pretty much ok with labeling it "rape" and "abuse" of a child instead of needing gory details like you.
Chris Nicholson March 1, 2013 at 03:27 pm
@LoveLaf: Regarding Witter's abuse of Cunnane, I finally watched the episode (pretty powerful I…Read More thought). In Cunnane's description of what Witters did to her, she only says that she was in his classroom with him alone and that her mind is completely blank as to what happened (her memories of Correa are vivid).
It seems no one will ever know what exactly Witters did to Cunnane.
WC-Independent February 21, 2013 at 07:09 pm
Doesn't CA need to work to advance those in the middle to move them closer to the top and to advance…Read More those at the top as well? Funding inequality?
Could you hear the noise if Brown said he was providing a higher percentage funding to the schools that were high achievers.
Can we get a real strategy that will advance all students, maybe the strategy is to retain votes from a certain sector...
Tambre Bryant February 8, 2013 at 01:21 pm
Tried to get classes for a year now. Not available or filled with continuing students. Gave up and…Read More went back to school on line with no grant. :(
lovelafayette February 25, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Cal swim coach Kristen Cunnane will share her inspiring tale of surviving child sex abuse in the…Read More Moraga school district in an hour-long show on the Oprah Winfrey Network on Tuesday. She will be featured on "Our America with Lisa Ling" at 10 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday on OWN.
OWN can be found on Comcast channel 220; DIRECTV 279; DISH Network 189 or 885; and AT&T U-verse 170 or 1170.
Arthur Clarke February 8, 2013 at 10:06 pm
How long will it take to pay off those Walnut Creek school district bonds; what is the interest…Read More rate? For a fully amortized home loan of the same duration and rate, what portion of the total payments would be principal, and what would be interest?
LindaL February 2, 2013 at 12:06 am
James, you are right but the voters do play a role. In the case of MDUSD the voters passed this bond…Read More measure because it would provide $348 for improvements at no increase in their tax rate. That statement alone should have caused the voters to pause but something for nothing was too hard to resist.
After being approached to make a change MDUSD had to have the courage to go back to the community and say we are going to change the structure and it will cost you today but save you $500 million over time. More districts need to do the same. More communities need to insist.
James Younger February 1, 2013 at 08:47 pm
Voters vote on the purpose of the General Obligation Bonds and the aggregate principal amount of the…Read More Bonds not the structure. See LindaL above, the Superintendent and School Board approve the structure of the Bonds. Besides issuing a huge amount of capital appreciation bonds, Acalanes High also issued cash-out refunding bonds in 2004 that were eventually outlawed by the State Attorney General.
Kayleen Parks January 28, 2013 at 11:43 am
When our family was exposed to lice I learned the hard way that you need two combing techniques. For…Read More live critters (apparently fast buggers) you need a fairly random pattern - if you start on one side and move to the other they often just move. For nits you need an organized side to side approach. Also, dipping your comb in vinegar helps breakdown the material that is used when nits are attached the the hair follicles.
Susan Bigham January 27, 2013 at 02:14 pm
Our school district's nurse says that outbreaks in schools almost always coincide with the arrival…Read More of winter clothes in stores and with the start of the Halloween season. It makes sense... lots of kids/people trying on warm winter hats and Halloween costumes that include hats, wigs, or other headgear.
Thanks for the article. I am going to provide a link to it for the parents at our school.
Remembering Las Lomas Student Amir Khakimov
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