A Wife To Rush Home To - Part 6

Be Happy,

Yesterday I wrote about the PHYSICAL appearance, but I wonder, have you ever noticed that a really beautiful (Meaning BEAUTIFUL!! Not sexy) woman usually has a smile on her face? that she laughs and generally looks happy? Often I have looked at photographs of me and the only thing I can say is "I look sad".

Proverbs 31:25... She can laugh at the days to come... 

Even in the midst of my deepest turmoils, I could still see a bit of sunshine, either the baby squirming inside, or those grubby smiling faces peering at me or a dull light at the end of the tunnel.

Find something to be happy about. Be happy. What makes you happy?

Riches don't make me happy, they fill my house with stuff that I later have to clean up, pack up and put away.

Don't try artificial happiness because it wont last, and your true sadness will show through as your cracks start showing. If you need it, go talk to someone, friend/family, counsellor. If you have depression I urge you to SEEK HELP! Whatever your burden is, you need to lighten it. If you don't, then it is just hard, for all of you involved.
If your stressed, put into place things or strategies to relieve you of that stress! There a lots of things you can do. Laugh at silly/stupid things that usually make you annoyed/angry!

Unfortunately I don't have a quick fix, I wish I did! But I am sorry, I don't.

Inward happiness shows on the outside. FIND IT!!

I was challenged when I was asked to write 10 things that make ME happy!! In fact because it challenged me I challenge YOU to do it also!

10 Things that make me happy

1. That moment when I look up to see hubby looking at me adoringly
2. When one of my beautiful children fall asleep in my arms
3. Watching the delight in a child's face when they discover something new
4. Those first moments discovering we are expecting another bubba, and the first moments when we meet them after birth and lots of moments afterwards
5. When a bill comes in and it has already been 'paid in advance' or the money has been saved up for it (less stress equals happy me)
6. Waking up with my family near by (more so when it is a peaceful setting)
7. Serving, Helping others invigorates my purpose and ambition in life
8. Singing, A delightful tune. Especially with/amongst my children. Something inwardly satisfying about singing, praising, worshipping, uplifting, encouraging.
9. Teaching, Friends & my children
10. Peace and Joy that comes only from the Spirit of God.

[Continue Reading]

Pencader's Bottom Line: The State's Neverending Story

Pencader has two lenders who have approved them conditionally for a loan.  The condition?  Funding flowing from the state on July 1st.  DOE has previously informed Pencader that their funding will not flow on July 1 unless they can guarantee they have a loan.  The loan is contingent upon the July 1 funding.  The July 1 funding is contingent upon the loan.  The loan is contingent upon the state funding on July 1.  July 1 funding is contingent on the loan.  The loan on July 1, July 1 on the loan...

Scratching your head yet, or have you already rammed it into the brick wall???

There are lenders out there that believe that Pencader has a sustainable plan to pay them back, operate a school, and be free from financial problems.  At least one of these lenders loans money to the State of Delaware.  They have faith in Pencader.  Why is the state playing russian roulette with our children's futures?

Good evening!
In communications back and forth with legislators, etc. I don’t know if the horror of the timeline over two fiscal years has been addressed to you. It has made our situation even more difficult and although Reach Academy made that one of the 122 points in their complaint we felt it best not to sign on with them. However, let me just quickly tell you how we are impacted here: · Our public hearing is July 13 and the SBE does not meet again until July 21. That takes our issue into the new fiscal year.· We have two lenders who are very willing to help us, BSA Capital of New Jersey, and a private loan here in New Castle.· However, the lenders, rightfully, want assurance from the state that Pencader will be a school, even a school under probation, in the new fiscal year, so that they can be assured of repayment. DOE will not grant that. DOE has frozen our accounts so no current bills can be paid, and they are not depositing funds into our account on July 1 as is typically done.· Our new budget (designed by Bill Bentz of Innovative Schools, formerly with Colonial School District) has a very reasonable repayment structure built into it, something very affordable with all of the expenditure cuts we have made (close to $700,000 per year.)· We had hoped to get some donated money but that did not work out favorably.

We are instituting a Capital Campaign which will aid us not only in repayment but in building a solid financial base from which to work. We simply need to be given a year to prove that what we are doing is right and is workable. We did not create the problem but we have fixed it. The children of Pencader and their families should not be punished because of the real negligence of less than a handful of adults. Thank you for anything you can do for us. Listening is important!

Harrie Ellen Minnehan
President, Pencader Charter High School Board of Directors

[Continue Reading]

Jeopardy!

[Continue Reading]

A Wife to Rush Home To - Part 5

Work Uniform, Be Presentable!

This one I got from somewhere else. Actually lots of different places.

I'll be honest, this is an area where I (personally) struggle with. I'll confess, I wear the work uniform of a mum, and I wear it well. You know what I am talking about! Tracksuit/Jeans, T-shirt, Sneakers, Pony Tail, No Make Up! Kelly from Be A Fun Mum has a guest post from Alison that sums it up well here I couldn't even deny it, not even to myself (as I sit here typing I am wearing my uniform).

Often enough Michael will get home for lunch and I'll be in my PJs still.

Other times (when I make the effort usually), you know when my hair actually gets brushed, he'll (sometimes) let me know that I look good, which makes me feel happy(er).

But you have to say THANKS!! with a smile :)

What I am told is that he is probably working with or having (female) customers/clients that are dressed in a different sort of 'uniform', and returning home to a... err.. (they call it a slob)... a mum!

Also included in this is taking care of the body you have. OR, try to.

When it comes down to it, what is on the inside far outweighs what it looks like from the outside!

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. The times when my hubby notices me, and lets me know!
2. The reminder to get dressed, into presentable, non-pj-type clothes
3. Warm showers
4. The growth in my life in this area recently !! ! ! !
5. That, even that I am in the HOME working, doesn't mean that I HAVE to wear the boring uniform!

[Continue Reading]

Dissecting Longhurst - ACT NOW TO PROTECT DELAWARE'S STUDENTS FROM THE FAILURE OF ADULTS

Comments in Color are Mine:


From: Longhurst Valerie (LegHall)

To:
Sent: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 11:51 am
Subject: RE: Pencader Charter

XXXXX,

Thank you for your email and expressing your concern. I’ve been involved with the Pencader Charter School since the inception. Sen. Longhurst, how frequently do you visit Pencader? Over the years I have received many complaints and followed up on many issues surrounding the school. Have you heard of the many wonderful things that are occuring at Pencader?  How often have you commended the educators at Pencader for going above and beyond, driving educational outcomes for students who were destined, within the traditional public school, to acheive only mediocrity?  Have you looked at Pencader's student body and acknowledged the significant number of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are thriving in the small school environment and whose educational future may be damned when they are tossed back into schools that cannot need meet their idividual needs in the way that Pencader has? PENCADER is able to do so because they ARE a Charter School! I feel for the students especially the ones who will be graduating this year. This is a very unfortunate situation that everyone in Legislative Hall has been discussing. We passed a key piece of legislation last week that would protect students from the failures of Charter Schools by moving the date of closure to enable students to find alternative schooling. I know it is too late for the Pencader students but hopefully we can correct this type of situation in the future. "Too Late"?  It's never too late!  This is one of those times when Delawareans need their elected representation to demand that departments of the state are held accountable.  The NACSA report clearly identifies the DOE/CSO's failure regarding charter schools.  The failures at DOE certainly began before this administration, but YOU, Rep. Longhurst, are one of the few who yield the power to demand improvement.  Punishing Pencader's students for the failure of adults is unacceptable.  You MUST demand more of our State's Leaders.  You MUST stand for the children of this state because they are the ones without a collective voice.  They are the whispers.  In your capacity, you and your fellow legislators must ROAR.  You should be angry, not apologetic.  You should be enraged, not complacent.  YOU must act to protect these students and provide Pencader an opportunity to prove their merit.  YOU MUST ACT TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN!

As for Pencader, I just started receiving emails in the last two weeks. I’ve discussed the matter with the Governor and Sec. Lowery. This is a very unfortunate situation but Pencader must come up with the financing before and show it still maintains financial support. Pencader has secured the needed funding, contingent upon written assurance that Pencader will be a school in the 2011-2012 school year.  Yet, the state refuses to assure Pencader that its funding will flow.  They have shuttered the Pencader Accounts knowing full well that a loan is contingent upon them!  This behavior is hostile towards childrens, vendors, parents, and community.  This is an issue that I can not help with. You absolutely can help by demanding that the Pencader accounts be re-activated, and ensuring that the DOE reinforces its committment to students by flowing funds to Pencader on July 1.  It's premature, unfair, undemocratic, and unacceptable to freeze the accounts for this school when the decision regarding its future has yet to be made!  Stand Up for Pencader!  Stand Up for Delaware!  Stand Up for your constituents!  They will remember the bullies on election day, even if you do not remember them! I’ve voiced my concern to Sec. Lowery and as had the other Legislators. I will continue to keep the conversation going but can not make any promises. I hope that you can understand that I was asked to get involved too late in the process. Again, please know that I am concerned for the students and this isn’t a matter I take lightly.  Never too late.  Pencader self-reported to the Charter Office their financial difficulties months ago.  The board enacted corrective action immediately.  They moved on this before DOE did.  DOE did not find the financial problems.  DOE has been negligent in monitoring charter schools.  It has been DOE's refusal to share responsibility for the problems at hand that has led to your constituents to need YOU to intervene NOW!

Please stay in touch as I will also.

[Continue Reading]

A Wife to Rush Home To - Part 4

Planning the evening meal...

I don't know how things operate in other people's homes in the evening, but for ME, if I can plan throughout the day what we are going to have for the evening meal and start preparing for it in the day, the entire evening will run smoother. Especially having a relatively new, demanding, beautiful princess baby that awakes during meal times to join in with the family meal. Or rather demands me during these times (What is WITH that?!).

It might mean taking meat out of the freezer to thaw in the morning, choosing what will be having during the day, cutting veges and placing in a pot soon after lunch or checking to see we have all the ingredients necessary.

Being a mother to four, full-time at home means that I am often left time-poor. Especially when you add in the element of homeschooling. I am finding and developing new methods to counteract this. I really need and do manage my time effectively.

1. While children are 'home schooling' at the dining table, in between needing help and guidance with work and activities I am able to think about the meal for the evening, check ingredients, take things out of the freezer and even prep for meals.

2. As part of 'home schooling' (meaning learning) we do cooking/baking. Great opportunity as a family to get dinner happening and the children feel proud of their own achievements.

3. Cook double and freeze half for another meal for another day :)

4. Have a COOKING day, where you cook 30 meals and freeze!! Make sure you label them!

5. I don't meal plan, I plan a meal on the day it is going to be done. Works better for me. Write the meal for the evening on the fridge with a whiteboard marker, it rubs off!

6. Have a good supply of stock food & freezer food


Why do I consider this important enough to consider it being 'a wife to rush home to'? Because for ME when I don't plan/have an idea what we are doing for dinner, I have the opportunity to run into chaos. And Chaos with 3 hungry children and a hungry Papa means for a very unpeaceful environment. Even *I* don't want to be here.

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Serenity
2. White board markers
3. Plans
4. Excess food stores
5. A dining table!!

[Continue Reading]

Reach Hearing Fast-tracked...

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/2011/06/breaking-news-hearing-for-reach-is-fast-tracked/

[Continue Reading]

Rep. Longhurst Dishes Pencader, Feeds Students to the Dogs

Rep. Longhurst responds to a constituent:

-----Original Message-----

From: Longhurst Valerie (LegHall)
To:
Sent: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 11:51 am
Subject: RE: Pencader Charter
XXXXX,

Thank you for your email and expressing your concern. I’ve been involved with the Pencader Charter School since the inception. Over the years I have received many complaints and followed up on many issues surrounding the school. I feel for the students especially the ones who will be graduating this year. This is a very unfortunate situation that everyone in Legislative Hall has been discussing. We passed a key piece of legislation last week that would protect students from the failures of Charter Schools by moving the date of closure to enable students to find alternative schooling. I know it is too late for the Pencader students but hopefully we can correct this type of situation in the future.

As for Pencader, I just started receiving emails in the last two weeks. I’ve discussed the matter with the Governor and Sec. Lowery. This is a very unfortunate situation but Pencader must come up with the financing before and show it still maintains financial support. This is an issue that I can not help with. I’ve voiced my concern to Sec. Lowery and as had the other Legislators. I will continue to keep the conversation going but can not make any promises. I hope that you can understand that I was asked to get involved too late in the process. Again, please know that I am concerned for the students and this isn’t a matter I take lightly.

Please stay in touch as I will also.

Valerie J. Longhurst
House Majority Whip – State of Delaware

11 Winchester Court
Bear, DE 19702
Dover: 302-744-4351 Fax: 302-739-2313
Wilmington: 302-577-8475 Fax: 302-577-6701
E-mail: Valerie.Longhurst@state.de.us
House Democratic website: www.DeHouseDems.com http://www.dehousedems.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Delaware-House-Democratic-Caucus/

[Continue Reading]

The Fire Has Been Lit, Will the Legislature Take Action?

[Continue Reading]

A Wife to Rush Home To - Part 3

Sending him off to work.

This man gets up early, or atleast he should do. In order for him to shower, find a clean pair of socks and his work clothes. Oh and breakfast.

But he doesn't, and spends that short period of time rushing around the house telling me he can't find anything. Seriously! Without me, this man would end up at work naked or back in bed, provided he even gets OUT of bed.

So what do I do to help?
TRY! Try to have his uniform in the same spot,
TRY! Try to have clean socks in his drawer (My BIGGEST downfall! Why? Cos he hides his socks under the bed, so I don't wash them because they are not in the washing basket)
TRY! Try to have clean jocks available in his drawer. MUCH easier now that he has double the amount he needs. TMI? I apologise
I usually manage to have 'morning tea' ready for him. The children are even able to get it for him.
Sometime I even have breakfast available for him. Porridge, pancakes.

These things probably sound really simple and 'like der' to you but for ME they are a BIG deal!
Proverbs 31 says that the woman is up EARLY, a Miracle for me (I prayed for that one).

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Getting up early (Curves helps with this!, so does the heater)
2. The peace and quiet in our home when you get up before everyone else
3. The amount of jobs you can get done that early/or just earlier then (my) usual
4. The (more) peaceful way to begin the day, by having these things running smoothly
5. That the children can witness me serving, albeit in my own home

[Continue Reading]

AG says emails to SBOE will be DELETED, not READ!

Last week, we posted the email address for the State Board of Education following a recommendation from Sen. Margaret Rose Henry to Pencader families.  Her advice was to lobby the SBOE as the legislature has very limited influence over matters such as closing a charter school.

We have received a copy of correspondance from the SBOE via their counsel, the AG's office to a constituent. Initially, it's an unsurprising email.  Reading between the lines, however, should spark your ire - if you are tax paying low-man-on-the-political-totem pole Delawarean, that is. 

1) If you wish to have a formal comment submitted to the state board of education on a matter that potentially could come before the state board for a vote at some unknown or potentially known date/time, you must submit that item through the appropriate education associate in DOE.

Why?

• Because the DOE has made it so easy for Delawarean to identify just which education associate is compiling various files of unknown information that could someday prove useful. 
• Because we all know that we can trust DOE to be honest, fair, transparent, comprehensive, honest, reliable, unbiased, honest, timely, transparent... and we can rest, assured that our various unknown concerns will be 100% included in the mysterious final record of any unknown issue that could potentially come before the SBOE someday.
• Because Delaware knows that DOE and its puppet, the SBOE are so committed to transparency and living in the light that they didn't need the legislature to mandate that they record their PUBLIC meetings and make those recordings available to the PUBLIC because they meet at a time that is convenient to the tax payers. (Oh, wait, the legislature did have to do that! and the SBOE meets at 1 pm when most of the public is at work.)
• Because we can rest assured that DOE is self-policing and would never need an outside evaluator to identify areas of weakness, flaws, loops that leave an opening for legal challenges.  (Oh wait, that's what NACSA did...)

Enough Sarcasm -

2) If you send correspondance directly to the SBOE regarding an issue that could at sometime be an item voted on the SBOE, expect to receive an email from the Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware Department of Justice. 

This is necessary because:

• The Secretary was out of the office for the day and the Dep. AG fills in for the secretary?
• The DOE office staff is on vacation, likely at their Rehobeth Beach homes?
• Brute intimidation towards those who pay the State Board of Education members?
• Scare Tactic to put the public in it's place?
• The SBOE members are so insulated by the Gov. who appoints them and the Sec. of Education who controls the flow of information to them, that common citizens are not permitted to access these paid appointed employees of the people? Peasants.
• The Gov. and Sec. fear that the SBOE might grow a pair, evaluate the evidence on its merit and determine a course of action other than what's recommended?  (Happened once, under Minner... Could it happen to Markell?)
• The SBOE might hold the DOE accountable for its failures and mistakes?

Sorry, sorry, more sarcasm.

3) After a deep personal struggle, I feel I am morally obligated to share the following email chain.  It has nothing to do with my own disconnect to DOE and the Gov.  I believe in transparency, accountability, and access.  Someone is using the AG to limit access to public officials who hold great power in this state. The policies and procedures that allow this to happen need to be addressed, likely by the legislature.  The processes in place only allow one side of a story to go to the SBOE, the state's side.  The SBOE needs to be permitted to view all documentation - free of manipulation and undue influence.  And I just can't trust that DOE will allow that to happen. 

You may want to read up from the bottom verses down from the top.  The oldest/first email is last.


-----Original Message-----
From: Hickey Catherine T. (DOJ) [mailto:Cathreine.Hickey@state.de.us]
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 5:44 PM
Subject: RE: Email communications regarding Pencader Charter High School

XXXXX,

Please let me clarify this matter, as I am concerned that I did not adequately communicate with you initially. It is not that your (or any other persons) email/written messages cannot be part of the record. The regulation I cited and provided the link to describes the procedure by which any comments, electronic or otherwise, can become part of the record. So, if you or any other member of the Pencader family would like to make comments that are part of the record and thus available for the State Board members to read and consider, I encourage you to look at and follow the procedure set out in the regulation. Some, if not all, of the State Board members will not even read the totality of messages that are sent to them directly via email in matters such as the formal review of Pencader, as the Board members are very aware of the need to consider only the proper record in the case when making a decision. So, once it becomes evident that a message is sent outside of the proper procedure, the recipients are likely to delete it without reading it to ensure compliance with the requirements of the law.

Catherine T. Hickey, Esquire
Deputy Attorney General
Department of Justice
102 West Water Street
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 739-7641 (voice)
(302) 739-7652 (facsimile)

---------------------------------------
To: Hickey Catherine T. (DOJ)

Subject: RE: Email communications regarding Pencader Charter High School

Thank you for your email. I fully understand that my or any other person's email/written messages cannot be a part of the record. I will share your information with the members of our Pencader family.

XXXXX

--------------------------------

From: Hickey Catherine T. (DOJ) [mailto:Cathreine.Hickey@state.de.us]

Good afternoon, XXXXX.

I represent the State Board of Education (SBE). It had come to my attention that you have sent an email message to one or more of the members of the SBE about Pencader and the formal review it is currently undergoing. As I am sure you are aware, the matter of Pencader and the formal review is expected to be on the SBE's July 21, 2011 meeting agenda. The SBE must base any decision it makes on this matter on the record, which is defined by regulation. Your email message(s) to individual Board member(s) will not be a part of the record before the Board. I have pasted a link to the applicable regulation (14 DE Admin. Coder 275.3.10) below so that you can review it and see how to make any comments you wish the SBE to consider a part of the record. Anything that is not part of the record as described in this regulation will not be part of the Board's decision.

http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/200/275.pdf

[Continue Reading]

DOE Charter Accountability Scores Some Points, Loses Others

Back to work on the NASCA report.  Here's the latest - DOE clears some hurdles with NASCA regarding compliance, at the same time, NASCA finds more deficiencies.  Here's the code:  Bold Black is Good for DOE.  Bold Red is Bad for DOE. Here's the CASCA link again (note: the citation for the following quotation - Page 18/35)http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/files/2011/06/NACSA_DE_Eval_REPORT_FINAL.pdf

Analysis


As established, DDOE does not execute charter contracts per se, nor are charter contracts required by statute. By law and by practice, the charter application, as submitted, is the approved document. While some material terms are addressed in the charter application, the designation of the application as the charter contract is both an atypical and inadequate practice, as critical elements outlining the roles and responsibilities of both parties - the authorizer and the school operator - are not included in the charter application.

As applied, the authorizer does not have a systematic approach to verifying with statutory requirements or charter terms, nor does it systematically review annual reports charter schools are required by law to submit. However, because charter schools are legally defined as public schools, and must report compliance, operating, and financial information to DDOE in the same manner as do traditional schools, the authorizer is able, to some degree, to monitor compliance and charter term fidelity. In practice, the authorizer has been in taking compliance monitoring actions, as evinced by correspondence sent to schools regarding failure to meet compliance requirements (including charter conditions) and the authorizer's history of placing schools on Formal Review and Probationary Status for non-compliance and other reasons. School operators confirmed the authorizer's active focus on ensuring compliance, though some, if not most, operators interviewed believed that the authorizer's aggressiveness borders on, or crosses over into, micro-managing and unnecessarily impedes school operating autonomy.

Special Note to Charter Operators regarding the final sentence of this NACSA paragraph - You think DOE micro-manages you?  DOE insinuates itself so deeply into school district management, all the while claiming
"its" (whatever "it" may be) is a local issue, that local control has been crippled and will likely eventually disintegrate before our very eyes.

[Continue Reading]

The Etiquette of Attachment Parenting

Really, I'm not trying to become one of those old ladies who criticizes how everyone is raising their children.  This is one of those posts that you think, "Should I say it or should I not?"  I'm gonna say it.  Don't hate me.

My experience with Attachment Parenting (AP) has been this:  My hairdresser turned me on to Dr. William Sears's Baby Book in 1996.  After a couple of months of searching for a sling and finally finding a tie-dyed one, I started wearing my baby (back when no one did this) and sleeping with my baby.  I tried to establish trust and a healthy relationship simply by meeting my baby's needs, often before he even knew what he needed.  The idea behind Attachment Parenting is that you and your child are, simply, attached.  He respects you because you respect him.

My babies never cried themselves to sleep.  They nursed.  We got better with each baby mostly because we looked at our big kids and realized how fast the time went with the babies.  We held them and enjoyed our time of their being little.  We also had the advantage of seeing that, yes, they do eventually sleep -- even in their own beds -- and do other things that you can't imagine them doing when you are immersed in the craziness of toddlerhood.

We always did time-outs, which may be controversial in the world of Attachment Parenting.  In fact, I'll be real honest.  Our time out chair was an old car seat that no one could get out of.  (Eventually, Daymon figured out he could just stand up and walk around with it attached to him and at that point, we moved on to taking away privileges, etc!)  Time outs lasted however long their age was.  For example, 3 years old = 3 minutes of time out.  It was very effective.  Usually the threat of time out was all that was needed, especially as they got older.  I don't remember using timeouts after the age of 5.

Sometimes I totally yelled -- still do -- at my children.  They will be the first to tell you that.   Often, I was -- and still am -- the one taking the time out!  I am, by no means, the perfect parent.  I can name lots of people that parent better than I do.  I do like to think, however, that I have well-behaved children.  Again, not perfect, but pretty darn good.

I've seen a trend over the last several months, under the umbrella of Attachment Parenting, that I would venture to call  "permissive parenting," stolen from my friend Shannon's quote on someone's wall this weekend.  She summed it up beautifully and I hope she doesn't mind me swiping it off Facebook!

"AP parenting is building a foundation that does last a lifetime. We are teaching our children that we will provide for them in a fundamental and practical way, emotional and practically. This can be done with bottle feeding, but it is not as easily done (it takes a LOT more effort), and the nutritional benefits are lacking.

That being said, it's sad to see the "AP" movement turn into a permissive parenting perspective that undoes much of what attachment parenting practices should do, establishing boundaries in a safe and loving environment."

Yes! This is what I'm talking about!  I have seen parents who claim to practice AP let their children run wild, often in places where it is quite disruptive.  I will refrain from expanding on that statement.  

It is OK to discipline your child and teach them that there are appropriate places to run around and be loud.  There is a time and place for everything.  But it is OK -- and expected by old people like me! -- that parents will also teach their children how to sit still, be quiet, and listen or play quietly with a book, etc.  If parents don't teach them, they will be forced to learn it in school by someone other than their parent.  They will be labeled at that point.  (A lot of AP parents homeschool and think this is a moot point.  It's not.  At some point, people will see your child as disruptive, disrespectful, irreverent, and possibly obnoxious.)  Parents have a responsibility to teach their children how and when to be quiet!

I also see a lot of AP parents doing things for their children that I believe the children should be doing themselves, or at least learning to do.  Picking up after themselves, for example.  Occasionally I  have people at my house with small children who play with the toys Darcy still has out. (Those days are limited for us, now.  Soon they will be gone as she gets older.)  It's interesting to watch how parents respond to the toys and the mess their children have made.  Some parents will have their child pick them all up, while others will insist on their child helping to pick them up, usually explaining why it's important and respectful to do so (this is AP parenting!).  Others will pick up all the toys while their children watch.  Where is the lesson in that?  Every now and then I have parents (and their children) who don't pick up any of the mess their children make.  Don't get me started on that one.

I have to use another comment from a former student of mine that I read on Facebook this week.  Again, I hope she doesn't mind me lifting her comment:

"...People may think I'm strict or unreasonable in training my kids to sit at the table and eat, but the reward comes when I can have a lovely dinner date with just my boy and girl.  We talk, laugh, and eat, and it's usually quite nice.  When he uses the manners we've taught him in dealing with the servers it makes me quite proud.  He's such a sweet and grateful boy."

And that about sums it up.  I might add that her children are very small.  Yes, it is often more effort to correctly practice Attachment Parenting, but the payoff is tremendous.  

I've thought a lot lately, as Daymon is approaching his 15th birthday, about Attachment Parenting and its significance it's played in my life as well as my childrens' lives.  They do not remember being little -- breastfeeding, cosleeping, or constantly being carried in their sling.  Their memories are scattered from when they were little.  But, like Shannon said, AP parenting provides a foundation from which to build.  A foundation of trust, of boundaries, respect, and growth.  We want our children to grow into responsible, independent, trusting, and capable adults.  

I look at each of my children, and while they all have different strengths and weaknesses, they have a good foundation.  They are civilized and respectful and caring.  The foundation is there, even if the memories (of things that were so important and significant to me) are not.  When they are driving me crazy, I just reach back into my file and pull out a sweet memory of when they were little.  I expect to do that a lot during these teenage years!

[Continue Reading]

A Wife to Rush Home To - Part 2

 Yesterday I talked about the husband coming home from work. Today I will write a bit more about what I STRIVE for as Michael returns home.

I know what I have been through throughout my day. The trials, the conflicts, the lessons, the glory, the success, the funny things I want to share with Michael. I love talking and to be honest I rekon it is one thing I am really good at. Unfortunately I am not as good as listening as I am talking. At the end of the day I have a lot of things I want to share with Michael. I am fairly certain is the most up-to-date on his families events then any other father because I tell him just about everything. And when I am finished he gets reminded by children... lots of times... After my home coming experience now I try let him tell me how HIS day was, that way I know what EVERYBODY has been up to (sometimes/mostly).

THEN (he always) asks me how MY day is going :)

We usually talk 'general' talk over dinner about our day with everyone available. The children get the opportunity to share the success's of their own day to Papa to which he gets to tell them how proud he is (or thereabouts), and 'problem' stuff awhile later.

Another thing I TRY to do... Keep the children quietly entertained AS Michael enters into the home. It doesn't matter that as he pulls up there is a bit of yelling going on, so long as that moment when he walks through our front door, they are quiet and he is ENTERING into a peaceful and quiet home. At times that means the noisy children are in their bedroom playing quietly or finishing tidying up their bedroom, it also means that they might be sitting in time out quietly for not doing what I have asked them when I asked them to do so. And it doesn't matter that the noise might return a few moments AFTER Michael has come home, so long as it is QUIET when he ENTERS. Of course it is nicer if the environment STAYS peaceful and quiet but lets just say, that might be a bit much to ask for right now ;)

Whilst I can not tell you why it works, for ME it is working well (& I think he might even appreciate it).

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more :)

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. That these simple self-restraints are working in our household
2. For the revelation of these little 'things' that can be done to help
3. For being able to share the highlights of our day with someone
4. For listening to the children ask Papa how HIS day was, and hearing them ask him WHAT he did
5. For the noisy chaos to be decreasing in our household :)

[Continue Reading]

Slogging Through NACSA Evaluation of DOE Charter Process

Okay, folks, we are up to page 17/35.  Here's that link again: http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/files/2011/06/NACSA_DE_Eval_REPORT_FINAL.pdf
If you haven't visited the report, you really should.  We are just posting highlights (or lowlights depending on who you are.)

The following is from Page 17:

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) does not execute charter contracts per se, nor are charter contracts required by statute. By law and by practice, the charter application, as submitted, is the approved charter document. Because there is no executed charter contract, the material terms for the school's existence, educational program, and operations are not defined in specific, legally binding terms. Arguably, some educational, operational, and financial material terms are contained in the approved charter contract, but the articulation of such terms has varied significantly from application to application.

• "DDOE executes a Performance Agreement for each newly approved and renewed school. However, the Performance Agreement is not used to annually or periodically monitor school academic and non-academic performance, nor is it the basis for making renewal decisions. In fact, most elements of the Performance Agreement are not examined during the renewal process."
• "Data on academic growth and progress are compiled for renewal review purposes but do not drive renewal decisions which are based, in large part, on whether schools are meeting state performance requirements."
• "There is no consensus within DDOE or the Charter School Office (CSO) on how to monitor academic performance or about whether the authorizer has the flexibility to establish performance-based academic and non-academic goals other than those prescribed by statute. Current and prevailing interpretation of statutes that speak to academic performance inhibit the authorizer from engaging in quality practices that specifically define academic performance goals against which schools will be measured, and ensure academic performance and progress are the primary considerations for charter renewal decisions."

NACSA's document review and site visit elicited little evidence of systematic monitoring and of any aspect of school operations. Though school reporting requirements are largely by statutes and spelled out in detail in the DDOE Technical Assistance Manual, the authorizer does not have a systematic approach for verifying statutory or charter terms compliance, sufficiency of school operations, or the financial viability of schools. Its review of annual reports, which charter schools are required by law to submit to DDOE, is cursory and not guided by policies, processes, or monitoring tools or instruments. The authorizer does not conduct formal site visits or utilize any site visit protocol. Schools receive little feedback on academic, operational or financial performance, except when problems arise. Communication with school operators is largely restricted to correspondence following up of concerns flagged by DDOE staff (often pertaining to enrollment or financial activity) or concerns that have been brought to the authorizer's attention from the school community or other external sources. State law requires the authorizer to prepare and submit an annual report. However, this requirement has not been met since 2006.

Fortunately for Delawareans, a concerned tax payer previously addressed the very last issue with the head of the Charter School Accountability Committee.  Although we've previously printed Mr. Carwell's reponse, we'll post it again:

"I am following up on your request for a copy of the most current Charter School Report. My apologies for the delayed response. You are correct that no reports have been issued since 2007. The reason is that a lot of the charter school information provided in past reports is now available on the Department’s web site under School Profiles (see http://profiles.doe.k12.de.us/SchoolProfiles/State/Default.aspx). When I joined the department in August one of the priorities I was asked to focus on was to republish the annual report. It is an important tool for improving authorizer and charter school accountability and provides a higher level of transparency. The annual report needs to be completely revised. We are developing a new performance framework for charter schools. Clearly, it will be important for the new report to align with our new charter performance metrics. Our goal is to republish the new report in the fall. "

Okay - Mr. Carwell joined the Department in August 2010.  Seven months later, NACSA sees little to no evidence of progress regarding bringing the department into complaince with state law.  According to Mr. Carwell's timeline, such a product should be available this fall.  The question has to be asked - If DOE had abided by state laws in the last five years and authored said report, Would Pencader and Reach be facing closure?

[Continue Reading]

P 15 - A look at Charter School App Reviewers:

Here's what NACSA says about Delaware's Charter Application Reviewers:
(http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/files/2011/06/NACSA_DE_Eval_REPORT_FINAL. p.15)

"As established, the decision making process is reasonably clear, though the basis for decision making is not. There is no guidance or explanation provided as to which of the 14 statutorily established criteria, or other authorizer expectations, are or are not non-negotiable for approval, or whether a minimal number of criteria must be satisfied.

"In practice, new school approval decisions are based on an incomplete analysis of charter school applications. CSAC recommendations are based, in large part, on whether an application meets statutory criteria for approval. However, the authorizer has not established meaningful criteria or indicators, other than tools to evaluate curriculum alignment with state content standards, to be consistently used to evaluate applications against statutory criteria. It is not always clear why a school is approved or denied, or the extent to which curriculum alignment reviews are the basis for a final new school (or renewal) decision. Present practice has the potential for reviewers to be partial or biased, or vary in the standards they apply to reviews. Reviewers receive little or no training about review standards or the review process; individual reviewers evaluate portions of the application, but few reviewers, if any, evaluate the application as a whole. The lack of review criteria and the lack of consistency in making decisions could, at some point, lead to authorizer decisions being legally challenged."

(http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/files/2011/06/NACSA_DE_Eval_REPORT_FINAL. p.15) Graphic Courtesy of Children and Educators First.

[Continue Reading]

How does a report that exposes the Charter School Accountability Committee to such harsh criticsm get buried?

The NACSA report released in March continues to boggle the mind.   We've already learned that the DeDOE does not assign anyone to review applications in their entirety, instead carving out subsections to various education associates.  The net result has been no eyes ensuring continuity of the application to fulfilling a proposed-charter school's mission statement.  We also now know that DOE fails to ensure that Charter applicants have the capacity within in their boards and leadership to ensure that a proposed school is actually viable.  NACSA has found that DOE's criteria for educational programming "are vague, incomplete, and overly focused on alignment to state content standards."  There is no requirement for a budget narrative, financial projections, or requirements to share research/data to support a charter's specified mission. 

And that's just part of the application process. 


More from NACSA:

• "As applied and in practice, DDOE has not taken any tangible steps to determine its priorities as an authorizer for new schools. Specifically, the authorizer has not defined educational needs it could or would like to address by authorizing new or replicating charter schools. Likewise, the authorizer has not identified schools in its portfolio, or analyzed how currently operating schools - if replicated - could meet educational needs in certain in any strategic way the characteristics (strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness, etc.) of the communities or among specific demographic groups, and therefore increase quality choice opportunities in the state." (p.11)
• "the application process is not well tailored to assess school proposals that differ from traditional school designs, such as on-line models, alternative schools, or academically rigorous schools specifically focused on under-served communities." (p. 12)
• "There are no high performing schools serving significantly at-risk and disadvantaged student populations" (p. 12)
• "The application for renewal and replication of existing schools is the same as for new schools." (p. 12)
• "As applied, the review and decision making process, including timelines, is generally well understood by charter school applicants and operators. In practice, applicants are given an opportunity to respond to questions raised by reviewers, and to provide additional information prior to, or at, public hearings. However, because the timeframe for such feedback or follow-up with applicants during the review process is not specified or consistently applied, applicants sometimes get minimal advance notice of CSAC questions or concerns before public hearings." (p.13)
• "As established, the application document is not well constructed; in places, it is not clear precisely what information the authorizer is requesting. The disparate pieces of the application do not connect in such way as to allow applicants to present a coherent articulation of the entirety of the school they are proposing." (p.13)
• Specifically, the application is not aligned with a comprehensive evaluation rubric or with authorizer established evaluation criteria. Rubrics used to evaluate curriculum examine items not specifically required by the application. In addition, some application requirements do not appear to be reviewed whatsoever by the CSAC. (p.13)
• "The review process does not include a structured applicant interview of the sort that strong authorizers use to evaluate applicant capacity and cohesiveness. After a charter application is submitted, the CSAC meets with applicants during an informal “meet and greet” session." (p.14)

C&E 1st Note:  NACSA's joking right?  DOE approves charter school applications without ever having a formal interview with the applicant?  I can't get a job without an interview... how the hell can DOE approve Charters and allow children to attend them without interviewing the people applying for and running them? (Anthony White, anyone?) Nearly every highlighted point in this series of posts is a knock on DOE.  But, that's because the majority of NACSA's report is an indictment of a very broken, under-developed process, the result I believe of years of neglect on DOE's part! 

What deeply disturbs me is that at the point in time this report was completed and submitted to DOE, there were two charters going through the review process.  The same committee that has had its wool shorn in the NACSA evaluation, the CSAC, has since recommended closing these schools.  These schools are in trouble primarily because CSAC did not do a thorough job during the application and review process.  Now, rather than fix their mistakes, CSAC passes the blame and moves to close the schools.  How can the State Board of Education seriously evaluate any recommendation that comes from CSAC at this point in time?  DOE has had this report since March and the public has seen little to know action on DOE's part to address the allegations asserted by NACSA... Mind blowing...

[Continue Reading]

A Wife To Rush Home To - Part 1

 I write this not to give the impression that I have the perfect marriage, with the perfect husband, with the perfect life and the perfect children. I am not the perfect wife, nor an ideal one but I am trying, and I have the heart to do what is best and what is right for my OWN family.

I write this for it has been on my heart to mull out the way that I WANT to be, a way that I CHOOSE to be, a way that I HAVE been (at times). And to teach the kind of respect that is no longer considered important in our society. I have a heart to teach that which I have learnt, through experience, through trials, through heartbreak and mistakes.

I believe that a woman can build or break a home. I believe that a man can do also. But as we do not have the ability to 'control' what a man does and does not do we can certainly play our own part in the game of life. Therefore I CHOOSE, freely, to serve my household, and to serve my husband to the best of my ability at any given time.

I do not believe that the divorced woman was the sole cause of their breakup, nor do I believe that the chaotic household is caused by the woman alone. If you are married then chances are a man is also involved. If you have broken up chances are there is a man involved. I do not believe that the divorced woman COULD have prevented a breakup if she followed this list. Who knows why and who knows how it could have been prevented. I am certainly in no position to pass judgement or opinions on such matters and quite frankly I don't. .

I come from the side of a Christian Married Stay-at-Home Homeschooling Mum. I have NO idea how these things could or would related to a full time working mum, or to the single parent (guess it wouldn't?) because simply put I have not walked that road... ever... So please, I beg of you, to not FEEL judged or condemned or criticised for being 'different', believing 'different', doing 'different'. If you glean just ONE point from this (and other) posts then yay for you and I am glad that my suffering has come to the good of another.

Often enough I fail, ask my husband, He probably won't tell you but he knows it is true, he's told me so. Often enough I succeed, but I don't always have that recognition, or I simply don't notice it. In our house hold, when 'household' run smoothly, the littlest of effort is felt throughout the entire family.

I do not believe that this 'list' of things we can do means all issues will be solved, all conflicts resoluted, all (negative) behaviours deminished within the marital relationship. But I DO believe that these things CAN show to our husbands that yes I do respect you, yes I do appreciate how you sacrifice in providing for our family and yes I will help you in the areas in which I am ABLE. I believe that these are important to a man. Simply put it is just ONE part of being a wife, which overflows over to being a mother.

I believe the first best relationship in the home environment is with God, the Creator of all. I believe that the next best relationship is between the husband and wife (or parents). Followed by the children. After that I believe it is our extended family, friends, and community.

For me it means the short period of time that Michael is home is spent (generally) in a deeper, quieter kind of quality time with the children and also with myself. Rather than fluffing around doing 'work' and 'jobs'. It also means that the children are learning that the Papa is an important part of our family and that we need to serve him where we are able to the benefit of all of us. First hand practical experience in serving one another and submitting under leadership. We learn to submit under leadership at school (teacher/student), in our society (government laws), at work (boss/worker), etc.

As simple as it may be for one child to assist in packing Michael's gym bag. The quicker he leaves the quicker (in theory) he will return, and once he has returned the quality time is much better then that rushing due to time restraints.

I suppose it has been gearing on my heart for awhile to serve my husband on a practical level in my household. Though it was only a couple of weeks ago where I was 'allowed' (ha!) to have saturday morning 'off' work to rejuvenate my spirit and have some ME time. As I returned home quickly to feed bubba before racing off again I was inundated by requests, excited people telling me what they've been doing, questions regarding my whereabouts and what I had been doing, and demanding schedules. On top of returning home with the unsupervised mess throughout the house. Knowing I would soon discover that children had been touching things they are not allowed to touch and spread non-touchables throughout the house. My freshly rejuvenated self was immediately un-rejuvenated and I was left in the non-peace side of peace... The side I wish not to be on... ever! What a chaotic way to re-enter the home after being out getting refreshed. Whilst I realise that 3 (I had bubba) young kids can create a noisy kind of chaos I prefer the serene kind of chaos. Surely that kind of environment is not one worth rushing home to.

I guess you could say the experience has inspired me to not allow that to occur unless I have no control over it (Lets face it! It happens when you have lots of little kids, but I DO try)

Michael finishes at 5pm. So around 5pm (or 5mins earlier depending on what we are doing) we do a quick rush around the lounge room picking up toys, rubbish, home schooling, whatever needs tidying up to make the lounge room LOOK presentable(r). Followed by the hallway. School room door is shut. Bathroom is quickly (re)cleaned up ready for his shower hopefully with a towel. Gym bag packed. Dining table is cleaned and set and dinner almost ready. As I hear MY (it is actually more mine than his ute) car pull up you'll find me rushing to the couch (often with bubba in arms) waiting for that moment when he walks in. He wouldn't have a clue that I have JUST been racing around ordering children to pick things up and put things away only moments ago. Sometimes I might have a nice little 'surprise' ready for him. Dinner that he likes, something that I've done.

The children are (usually) in their Pjs. One less job for them to do while Papa is still home. 

This makes the bed time routine much faster but also more relaxed. I only need to change the toddler (who eats in dirty clothes rather than clean PJs... Lets be smart about this!) 

For *MY* household at THIS time in our lives, this is the easiest, smoothest, serene chaos that (I think) is easier for MY husband to enter into at the end of the day. 

Come back for more each day this week...

5 Things I am Thankful for:

1. The practical experience of entering into a chaotic environment which inspired me to create a serene chaos when Michael returned home

2. That I have a husband

3. That My Husband is out at work 

4. That I do chaos... well... 

5. That I have found something that works... for ME/US

[Continue Reading]

Friday 17th June 2011

{{Please Note: Since turning the (stupid) internet off at our house I somehow managed to break... But don't think having an EX-tech for a husband means it is fixed because it is not... and I am thinking it's not going to be... so I have no net & have been (relatively) loving it... Therefore this post was written on the 17th June and is outdated but still worthy of recording IMHO}}

I am currently laid up on the couch, frozen peas weighing down my freshly swollen and brusied leg, ankle and foot. sil's prepping and cooking dinner for my tribe, hubby at work (home soon), kids being kids and chickens getting rounded into the house and trapped indoors.
It is a busy time of day for me in our household. I have a house to tidy up, dinner to cook, a kitchen to tidy and prepare for our family meal, children to supervise and order around, kids to prep for bed. I am conscious that hubby needs to be out of the house ready to serve in ministry and me not (seemingly) to have the ability to even stand let alone take the groceries out of our car and put them safely in the refrigerator. I am reminded that I want a goat, or even a (small) cow to milk so I don't have to do groceries... Yep... I'm aware that your gasping at this crazy woman... I'm thinking I may skip the cow...
 Glad that my 3 month old baby was being snuggled close in one arm, 23 month toddler was strapped tightly into the baby section of the overflowing double trolley when it tipped and (strangely enough) it was only me who was injured by the ordeal. Grateful that many men saw this damsal in distress when that trolley went down kids and all and rushed unseen to our rescue. Unthanked men at that. Not for unthankfulness but from shock. Being escorted through the carpark was such a help for me.

Shopping with 4 kids on my own is proving a little bit more challenging than it used to be. I guess I am noticing more when I am having 3-6 strangers offer their assistance. Does it look THAT hard? Feels normal to me.

I've been talking to the children about running off where I can't see them. How they could get hurt, they could get stolen or they could get run over by a car or something because I can not protect them when they are out of my sight. I seriously contemplated paying a stranger $100 to snatch the kid that ran off and hold them hostage for a couple hours until they begged for mercy in the thought that they would never EVER take off from me again. They are getting confident, and daring, and egging one another on. I am not having as much fun as I used to at the shops with them.

Tomorrow I have curves, but with this foot? Ouchies...






Fast forward a couple hours...



Finally I can walk (or hobble), kids were put to bed for me, I am grateful for the company, the servant hearted help that I receive from loved ones.

I am (even more) aware of how important my position is within the home. It took two? deaths of people that I don't even know to realise how important each individual is to the people around them, whether they are close, knew of them, knew them, worked with them, or even just know their family. And that includes me. Yet here I am, laid upon the couch, feet up, blanket on, unable to complete the simplest of tasks.

Yelling at my children to go get milk and yoghurt out of the car and put it in the fridge before it goes off and we all get sick. Seriously, I was yelling. And I was getting frustrated from my immobilsed position. Frustrated because the dog kept rounding the chickens up and they were coming inside and I know fair well they are not potty trained! Frustrated because my toddler has hit the "nar" stage and the I-heard-you-but-I-am-not-obeying stage which has resulted in several random objects landing smack bang in someones face too many times already. That cat kept making attempts at creeping inside.

I praise myself that I've taken the time to teach and show and train the children to complete household tasks, including carrying groceries from the car inside and putting them away. Frustrated that all I want them to do this time is get the groceries IN and put the milk away and it wasn't happening. Surprised to discover all the while I am calling and yelling out to hurry up and get the milk out of the car they had been putting groceries away. I should have known better. I should have known that they would automatically begin the process of putting things away. I should have known the personality of my oldest child that he would be attempting to sort out the fridge to fit things in a bit better. That's what I call in-your-face. When you jump to the conclusion that something is happening (or not happening) and you are proven wrong. But it is a good wrong. Cos that training, and working alongside has paid off, and at their young ages too.
It shows me that at a later date they will manage without me, it shows that they will be able to keep the household running when I'm out-of-action, and that fills my heart with peace. It shows that by the end of their time living in our home they (hopefully) will have the abilities to run their own home, and (hopefully) run their own families/business/work whatever.

{ETA: The foot is still stollen and bruised and a little bit tender but I am able to walk and complete everything I need to. AND still go to Curves...}


5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Cooking SILs, who love us! and put some of us to bed!
2. Strangers, that rush to ones needs! Oh what servant hearted people...
3. "Safe" fall, I am conscious that my BABY could have been in her capsule AT the time, and that my toddler just 'went' with it because he had been sleeping.
4. Resting, with my feet up
 5. That the foot is feeling much much better and I have been able to get around.

[Continue Reading]

Page 8/35 on DOE's Charter School Efforts - NACSA Report Identifies Charter School Neglect in Delaware

Thanks to the Nichole Dobo of the New Journal for digging up this gem (hmmmm... is it me or has there been a lot of digging around DOE of late? Searching for the rubies and diamonds, I'm sure.)  http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/2011/06/report-from-march-evaluated-doe-charter-school-office/

Here's the link to the report in its entirety:  http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareed/files/2011/06/NACSA_DE_Eval_REPORT_FINAL.pdf

C&E 1st notes that the President of the State Board of Education was an authorizer of this report.  Its fairly safe to assume that the full board has read this report and will be aware of these findings going into their vote on the futures of Pencader and Reach in July.

For the purpose of this post, C&E 1st will focus on the highlights of Pages 8, 9, and 10 of the NACSA report (Highlighting and Bolding done by C&E 1st for emphasis.)  The following statements can be found/attributed on Page 8:

• "The charter school law in Delaware provides a framework identifying fourteen criteria that developers must meet to receive approval to open a charter school... In practice, the approval criteria have been interpreted fairly narrowly, creating an environment where reviews of charter school applications are not comprehensive or consistent and are thus open to subjectivity."
• "The authorizer does not have an established process or the evaluative tools to evaluate new charter school applications in their entirety... Few people actually read each application in its entirety, and individual reviewers do not provide comprehensive feedback in any standard format...  As a result, evaluations do not enable the authorizer to determine the extent to which individual components of the application align with each other, with the proposed budgets and financial projections, and with the overall mission and vision for the school."
• "The application decision-making process lacks adequate attention and due diligence to critical areas such as leadership capacity, need or demand for the proposed school, the likely success of the proposed educational program, and applicant capacity to implement and operate the proposed school... there is no place for applicants to address, and reviewers to assess, research or information related to effectiveness of the proposed educational model... As a consequence, CSAC application deliberations do not focus specifically on the viability of the proposed school and how or whether the applicant has capacity to actualize the plan."

The following statements can be found/attributed to Page 9:

• "While the application does not specifically address a vision statement, it requests a statement of the purpose and philosophy of the school. The evaluation criteria do not analyze mission alignment with the educational program or academic goals."
• "the educational program requirements are incomplete and do not elicit a cogent picture of the proposed educational program as a whole."
• "The application also does not require the applicant to address how the proposed learning program will be delivered, a leadership development plan, or position descriptions of school employees."
• "Evaluation criteria for the educational program are vague, incomplete, and overly focused on alignment to state content standards."

The following statements can be found/attributed to Page 10:

• "the application does not require critical information geared toward determining the applicant's plan or ability to create a sound organizational infrastructure or appropriate operations and management systems."
• "application does not require provision of an organizational chart, a description of the leadership model or structure, a comprehensive staffing plan, or a detailed professional development plan, which precludes assessment of the alignment of the organizational plan with school mission and education plan."
• "if a proposed school has a specific learning model - a Montessori program, for example, the authorizer does not require information necessary to ensure teachers will be adequately trained or that the unique aspects of a proposed school design can or will be actualized."
• "The application does not require a comprehensive budget narrative in which the applicant must present assumptions indicating how financial projections are tied to the proposed learning model, unique components of the school design, staffing and organizational plans, facilities plans, fundraising strategies, etc."
• "there is evidence from CSAC preliminary and final reports and recommendations, internal memoranda, case history content and site visit interviews with DDOE/CSO officials and school operators indicating that financial projections and facilities plans are reviewed for viability, reliability, and sufficiency."
• "However, this is not done in any consistent, systematic way, and the review process does not focus on the components or the adequacy of business plan components, and hence, is not a comprehensive assessment of the proposal -including critical infrastructure components - as a whole."
• "For example, the authorizer recently approved a school intended to serve a special education population; however, key questions were not asked during the application review process to assess the viability of the financial plan -enrollment assumptions. The financial plan was constructed on the assumption that at least 60 percent of the school's students would have special needs; the financial viability of the proposed school model was dependent upon receipt of additional funds targeted for special education students. In approving the school, the authorizer did not ask for a contingency budget plan if the school enrolled a much lower special education population -- which now appears likely -- nor did the application ask for, or reviewers inquire into, the recruiting or marketing plan the school would employ to attract its targeted population."
• "the review process does not focus on the experience or qualifications of school founders to start or operate a school, and thus lacks comprehensive assessment of the founding team's capacity to realize the vision of the proposed school program."
• "the review process is limited to ensuring that the composition of the school development group meets statutory requirements (i.e., that the initial founding board includes a parent and a teacher on the board)."

That's the tip of the iceberg.  We'll take on another chunk tomorrow.

[Continue Reading]

Sen. Henry Works for Delaware's Students... And SBOE Email Addresses

Senate Majority Whip Margaret Rose Henry's reponse to a constituent:

Dear XXXXX

Unfortunately the legislature does not have anything to do with making the decision to keep a school opened - it is the State Board of Education that makes the final decision. I would recommend your lobbying efforts be directed to the members of the State Board. I support the school and have heard wonderful things about the students and the progress that has been made academically. I am so sorry about the financial issues. I do plan to support your efforts to keep the school opened.

Sincerely,
Margaret Rose Henry

After receiving Sen. Henry's advice, Pencader parents searched high and low for the contact information for the members of the State Board of Education.  Although the state board members are appointed, PAID, government officials and their bios are published on the Department of Educations website, their email addresses have been kept out of the public eye, likely locked in Jack Markell's secret guarded vault in the Governors Mansion. Always resourceful, the Pencader community has succeeded in attaining the state board's email addresses.

For those interested in contacting the state board over the Charter School issues or other concerns, here they are:

Dr. Terry Quinn Gray, tgray@doe.k12.de.us
Jorge Melendez, Jorge.melendez@pnc.com

Gregory Coverdale, gcoverdale@DOE.K12.DE.US; gcoverdalejr@hotmail.com

G. Patrick Heffernan, pheffernan@DOE.K12.DE.US

Barbara Rutt, barbararutt@yahoo.com

Dr. James, Wilson, imjwilson@comcast.net

Dr. Terry Whittaker, whittakt@udel.edu

Dr. Lillian Lowery, llowery@doe.k12.de.us

Compensation

The compensation of State Board members is specified in 14 Del. C. §104(h), which states the following:

(h) The members of the Board shall receive $100 for each day’s attendance at the meetings of the Board not to exceed 24 days’ attendance in any 1 calendar year; and they shall be reimbursed for the actual travel and other necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings and transacting the business of the Board. http://www.doe.k12.de.us/ddoe/files/pdf/desbe_proceduresmanual.pdf

[Continue Reading]

IF DOE won't abide by the current laws, what makes Schooley and Sokola believe they'll take new ones seriously?

http://kilroysdelaware.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/new-delaware-charter-school-law-hb205-in-the-pipeline/

[Continue Reading]

Rep. Osienski Works Delaware's Students!

Rep. Osienski's response to a constituent:

XXXXX,

I am concerned also with the aspect of closing Pencader Charter. I am gathering all the facts and info and so are my other follow legislators since Pencader Charter student body stretches over many legislative districts many have heard from concerned parents. I have marked July 13th on my calendar so I do not miss the public hearing.
Thank you for your e-mail.

Ed Osienski

Representative
24th District
183 Scottfield Dr.
Newark, DE 19713
Home: 302-292-8903
Office: 302-577-8476

[Continue Reading]

Delaware Charter School Law Enforcement Leaves the Voters Asking Questions...

[Continue Reading]

Rep. Kowalko Works for Delaware's Students

Rep. Kowalko's response to a constituent:

Dear XXXXX

I have read your email and many others that express a similar frustration with the Pencader situation. I have reached out to various departments seeking advice and proposals to try to help. I share your frustration with the process and the finite limits that seem to restrict dialogue in the matter. The Charter school process for review seems to be very limited to the jurisdiction of the Executive branch, DOE and the State School Board but I will continue to seek audiences with those players to continue the conversation on behalf of those affected children.

Respectfully,

Representative John Kowalko

[Continue Reading]

Will Sen. Peterson Stand with Pencader?

Sen. Peterson's response to a constituent's email request:

XX XXX

Given that we are in the final two weeks of the legislative session -- and receiving more than 100 e-mails per day (not to mention phone calls and letters) -- you might want to give us time to respond before chastising us.

I do not expect to be back from Dover tomorrow night in time to attend the open house. I will, however, request that Dr. Lowery be asked to meet with our caucus this week to explain why DOE is recommending the closing of Pencader Charter in spite of its academic record.

Sen. Karen Peterson

[Continue Reading]

No Ingles? C-Section for You!

This might raise more of a ruckus than anything I've ever said here.  I believe -- with good reason -- that English being your second language puts you at risk for a c-section in America.  Think about your friends or acquaintances for a minute.  Maybe you are from another country and gave birth in America.  Did you have a vaginal birth?

I have a couple of friends that work at a local hospital in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area with a c-section rate of 60%.  They have both told be they think the statistic is higher than that, however.  They have said there are days (and nights) where they don't see a single woman that has had a vaginal birth.  When I asked them why they think the numbers are so high, one of them said it's because that particular hospital has such an influx of Mexican women.  What?!  She went on to explain that when they don't speak the language (English), things just happen to them, the labor "spirals out of control," ending in surgery.

Surely in the United States of America they are getting the best health care in the world, right?  Frankly, I believe they are taken advantage of by a system -- doctors, nurses, hospitals -- that don't want to deal with them.  They know that these women and families are often scared, and frankly, trust the doctors to take care of them to do what is best for them.  I think they are being scammed.

It is not just Mexican women.  I know people from several other countries that have had the same experience in the DFW area.  I believe it is happening all over the United States.  One of the women I know who had a cesarean at the mentioned hospital said that in her Discharge Class, only 2 of the 15 women had had a vaginal birth.  She is Italian and will be VBACing this September at a different hospital with a VBAC-friendly doctor and she has hired a doula.  She will not be a victim this time around.

Very few women -- American or otherwise -- are truly aware of their choices when it comes to childbirth.  We place our faith and trust in the doctor's hands and become good little patients.  Less than 1/3 of women take a childbirth class when they are pregnant.  We make it unbelievably easy for the system to take advantage of us.  Plenty of American-born women have been a victim of the system and don't even realize it.  They just didn't take the time to educate themselves about labor and birth and were not active participants in their labors.  Birth was something that happened to them.

Women from other countries and cultures bring their own ideas of birth to the table which may or may not mirror our own.  The third step of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative is:  "A mother-friendly hospital, birth center, or home birth service provides culturally competent care -- that is, care that is sensitive and responsive to the specific beliefs, values, and customs of the mother's ethnicity and religion."  That is rarely happening in this country!

Thoughtfully consider your place of birth regardless of where you are from.  Is your care provider respectful on all levels?  If English is your second language and you are having a baby in America, I hope that you will follow your intuition.  If you feel like your hospital or doctor is not respectful, don't ignore those red flags.  There are people who want to help you have a wonderful birth.  Seek out a midwife, a Bradley (TM) teacher, or a doula, for recommendations in your area.  It's only too late after the baby is here.

The diversity of this country is one of the many things that make is so interesting.  All women deserve to have a wonderful birth-day and not be a victim of a broken maternity system.  If you know someone in this situation, don't be afraid to speak out.  Help put her in touch with your midwife or doula. Language should never be a barrier to compassion or the beginning of motherhood.

[Continue Reading]

Will Rep. Kenton Stand for Pencader?

Kenton's Response to a constituent -

Per Rep. Kenton-

The State Legislature will be in session. Therefore the likely hood of my being able to attend is questionable. Thank you for your email and invitation. I wish you and your students all the best and continued success in the future.
Harvey

Margaret Moore Dean
Legislative Assistant/House Minority Caucus

Legislative Hall
Dover, Delaware 19903
Telephone: 302-744-4267
Fax: 302-739-2773
Email address: Margaret.Moore-Dean@state.de.us

[Continue Reading]

Conflict of Interest: Head of DOE Charter Office to Serve as Charter Hearing Officer???

From Kilroy's:

http://kilroysdelaware.wordpress.com/

In a letter to Reach Academy, Dep. Sec. of Education Dan Cruce states that John Carwell, the head of the DOE Charter School Accountibility Committee will be their hearing officer.  John Carwell heads the committee that recommended closing the school. 

How can John Carwell be a non-partison player in a hearing that his committee set in motion when it recommended closing the school?

Gov Markell,
How will you ensure that Reach and Pencader receive fair hearings when DOE is stacking the deck with biased officers???

DE Legislators,
What will you do to ensure fairness and integrity is inflicted into these Charter processes?  Background checks is barely a start? How about ensuring the Department of Education follows the laws you pass? 

Remember the voters today, because they will remember you in November...

[Continue Reading]