Markell Leaves His Mark on Laurel

From today's NJ: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110730/NEWS03/107300329/Laurel-district-dire-straits

LAUREL -- State cuts to education have put the school district in danger of running out of money by next spring, officials said this week as they announced an austerity plan.


Laurel's schools are in "dire" financial straits thanks to the state's "extreme" cuts, acting Superintendent Dorothy Nave told a group of about 40 community leaders, residents and district employees at a school board meeting Thursday night.

While I will concede that Laurel is still experiencing the fall-out from it's own financial scandal - its former finance manager, William Hitchens, as he defaults on his court-ordered repayment plan - the crisis at hand in Laurel sits squarely on Jack Markell's shoulders.  Hitchens theft of district funds is still small peanuts in education's grand financial picture.

Markell spearheaded a campaign two years ago to push off a rolling 25 % of transportation costs onto districts. While initially rebuked by the legislature, Markell succeeded in sending 10% down to the districts beginning in fiscal year 2011-12.   That's 10% comes from a district's local share - school taxes.  Some districts are able to assume the costs, but many more are struggling with how to carry this additional burden.  It's not like we can move our schools 10% closer to our students' homes...  Today, in Laurel, we are seeing how that transfer of ownership is crippling a district.

Does this make a case for consolidation?  Maybe.  Perhaps Laurel could blend with another district.  In a state with as many fiefdom's as Delaware has, it appears to be an easy answer - if the neighboring districts are solvent themselves.  But, when Delawareans yell "consolidation," they tend to think of the bigger districts, like my own.  They tend to think they want to see county-wide districts.  While numerous studies over the years seem to indicate cost savings in a county-wide district model system, no one really knows for sure if that would be the case.  If it was certain, it would have happened already.  Districts would likely realize much of the same operational efficiencies if they united in a buying collective, but that would require districts to adopt similar/same materials, etc.   And, in NCCo some of the district business managers have already moved to a "collective" model for some resources.  I can't speak about the Kent or Sussex districts. 

As for consolidation - proponants tend to argue the need to pare down administration.  They believe the districts are top-heavy.  I've never seen a comparative report of school district in Delaware as to how they rank with districts nationwide.  But, my own experience on my board leads me to believe that much of the top-heavy admin sits in the Delaware Department of Education.  DOE needs to cut out its waste and it has plenty.  Then perhaps, districts can follow suit.  Though, I still struggle with which positions in Christina could be considered "wasteful," especially as DOE passes down more and more mandates under RTTT and the Partnership Zone program. I am watching my administrative positions grow - positions solely funded by RTTT that will eventually fade away as the RTTT grant dies, unless Delaware reforms its funding system.  Which, based upon Markell's historical behavior, does not appear to be in the works.

So, I leave you with this question:

Will Laurel be the first casualty of the Markell Education-Spending Plan?  Only time will tell...

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PRIDE 7/28/2011

Synopsis

What it is: Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.
Why you do it: Well-meaning elementary school teachers told you to "believe in yourself."
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be broken on the wheel.
Associated symbols & suchlike: Pride is linked with the horse and the color violet.
http://www.deadlysins.com/sins/pride.html

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Dog Days of Summer...

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Humble Beginings

Well that's it... Our First House (unofficial)...
It is the cheapest on the market, in the 'dero' side of town, too small for our growing family, with no garage or shed.
A 3br 1bath minisule dwelling place... and in roughly 10 weeks it'll be all ours... or all the banks... which ever way you look at it.

We are rapt! Although now we don't know where to start our 'maintenance' and our 'painting' and our 'ideas' and our 'renovations'. A new kind of argument I am thinking... over money... and ideas... and house... Although Mik did say that I get to pick the paint colours because I have to look at it all day!! (Now that it is in WRITING that makes it all "official")... I am thinking pink for the girls, blue/green for the boys... no idea for my room :P

Looking forward to banging nails in the walls *grins*

& no more "rental inspections".

It is over 800sqm so it's got lots of land space. Keen on getting a decent vege patch in, and a decent chook pen. I'm thinking a giant watermelon patch and about 10sqm patch of grass... I hate grass... and I hate having to mow... and I hate waiting for Michael to mow it...

It is not what we WANT or what we DREAM... but for us it is a giant step towards our dream. Our first financial investment... We're broke now btw...

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Opportunity
2. Baby no# 4 + Full Time Job to get that deposit happening (amongst bills etc)
3. NOT having to move house!!! YEAH!!!
4. NOT having to do (another) bond clean WOO HOO!!!
5. Low in the housing market... :)

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The Mother-Friendly What?

When I got together with a couple other ladies from my community to start a chapter of BirthNetwork National a year-and-a-half ago, we only had an inkling of what it would involve.  We have grown to be the largest chapter in the country with nearly 100 members and have accomplished some amazing things in our community.  If you are in the Fort Worth area, I would like to invite you to be a part of this growing movement.

Our chapter is the Tarrant County Birth Network.  This spring, we published a book of birth stories called The Birth Next Door, which is available for sale, benefiting TCBN .  We hold free monthly meetings on a variety of topics based on the MFCI (we'll get to that in a minute).  Visit our website for topics and location.

We are currently in the process of gearing up for the 2nd year of BOLD Fort Worth 2011, consisting of a play, Birth, by Karen Brody and a Birth & Family Expo.  Mark your calendar for September 23-24.  If you have a Mother-Friendly business you'd like to advertise in TCBN's Resource Guide (distribution 10,000), there is still time!  Here is a link that will tell you everything you need to know.  Deadline is August 1st.

The foundation of the Birth Network is solid and this is really what I wanted to discuss in this post.  We throw a lot of terms around and people tend to glaze over.  For example, the 10 Steps of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative (MFCI) written by CIMS, or the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, is the basis of everything we do, nationally and locally.  The 10 Steps are evidence-based and have shown that if followed, maternity care will be improved for the entire family.  I encourage you to read through these steps and check out the CIMS website.  There are useful downloads there as well, including topics such as breastfeeding, induction, and risks of cesarean section. 

Many people are aware of, or at least have heard of, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, written by WHO-UNICEF.  I have discovered most people don't really know what that means, but it sounds good, doesn't it?  There are 10 steps to being Baby-Friendly, and basically, it has to do with breastfeeding support -- not separating mom and baby, not offering bottles or pacifiers, and all around encouragement of breastfeeding.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a part of something much bigger -- it is the 10th Step to the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative.  I want to very briefly, in my own words, tell you what these steps are:

To be Mother-Friendly, a birth place must carry out these philosophical principles:

1.  Anyone can be with the mother at all times if she so chooses, including a doula.  She should have access to professional midwifery care.  (Hospitals who do not employ midwives are not Mother-Friendly.)


2.  Statistics are easy to come by.


3.  Is respectful of differing cultures, customs, and religions. 


4.  Mom has the freedom to move as she wishes and is not forced to be in any position she does not choose.


5.  If transfer of care becomes necessary, everyone is treated with respect and the mother receives respectful care throughout the process.


6.  Routine interventions are not used unless medically indicated.  Key statistics include:  induction rate of 10% or less, episiotomy rate of 20% or less with a goal of less than 5%, c-section rate of 10% or less and 15% or less in high-risk hospitals, VBAC rate of 60% or more with a goal of more than 75%.


7.  Staff is educated in non-drug methods of helping the laboring woman and does not encourage the use of drugs.


8.  Staff encourages family members to hold, touch, and care for their baby, including premature or sick infants.


9.  Discourages non-religious circumcision.


10.  Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative -- Breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed!


I hope you will press your care provider and birth places on these steps and if they are following them.  The more we talk about Mother-Friendly Maternity care, the more common it will become.


If you are interested in finding a local chapter of BirthNetwork National, visit their website.  There may be one near you.  If not, start one! 

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A reasonable request: In What World are Trainee Teachers 'Highly Qualified'?

In What World Are Trainee Teachers 'Highly Qualified'? In Mine

By Candice Johnson

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/07/22/37johnson.h30.html?tkn=MUQFcpY%2BJfK%2BTveGiIiYU0Yx7DzuhP%2B1lnrt&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

In May, I traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., for the first time in my life. It was exciting to visit the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. But I wasn’t there to go sightseeing. I was there to ask my elected representatives why students at our country’s most challenged high schools are being taught by unqualified teachers, and why Congress is letting this happen.

They didn’t give me the answers I was hoping for. But I’m not about to let it go.
I am a graduate of Washington Prep High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District. My school is the kind of school the No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to “fix.” It’s one of California’s lowest-performing schools. Forty percent of my freshman-year classmates didn’t graduate. The student body is also mostly low-income, and a majority of the students are African-American like me or Latino. There were only a handful of white students in the entire school of 2,000 when I graduated a year ago.
I was one of the lucky ones—I’m currently in college, pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse. But my high school math experience sure didn’t make it easy for me. When I first got to college and took the freshman math-placement test, I looked at those questions and got a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. I realized that I didn’t understand a majority of the problems on the test. As a result, I was placed in remedial classes that won’t count toward my degree.

Looking back, I realize my math problems started in my freshman year of high school, when I had a full-time trainee-teacher for Algebra 1. California calls these teachers, who take classes at night and on weekends to learn how to teach, interns. My instructor hadn’t completed his teacher training, and he couldn’t control the class. It was a free-for-all in there. We hardly did anything, and a lot of kids ended up “ditching,” or skipping class all together. I just kind of floated by, happy to finish. Like most of the interns who showed up at my school, he was gone by the time I graduated, so I don’t know if he ever learned how to be a more effective teacher.

What I do know is math gets harder, not easier. Geometry and Algebra 2 didn’t make sense without an understanding of Algebra 1. Was that teacher the only reason that I’m struggling with college math now? Of course not. And are there also experienced teachers who can’t control their classrooms? Yes. But that doesn’t make putting most of the intern teachers in schools like Washington Prep right.

I found out that more than a quarter of the teachers at Washington Prep are in their first or second years of teaching, and one-fifth are interns. You just don’t find that in richer school districts. It seems as if someone made a choice to make schools in the poorer areas the revolving door for all the new teachers who are still in training.

While I was hardly the perfect student, I think that my success in other courses proves that getting qualified teachers really does make a difference. Luckily for me, when it came to English, I had a wonderful teacher for both my junior and senior years. She had years of experience and really cared about my education. Her class was one of the few I looked forward to, and when I got to college, I was able to test out of remedial English.

“I asked: ‘Why is it OK for students like me to be taught by teachers-in-training? If intern teachers are good enough for me, why aren’t they good enough for the students down the road in Beverly Hills?’ ”But here’s the crazy thing. According to Congress, my English teacher and my Algebra 1 teacher are both “highly qualified.” How can that be? It doesn’t make sense, but last December, legislators passed a temporary law that calls intern teachers like my Algebra 1 teacher “highly qualified” even though they are still learning how to teach. The law also allows them to be concentrated at schools like Washington Prep.

That brings me back to my trip to Washington. I didn’t get to meet with any actual legislators, but I did speak to several congressional staff members. I told them what it feels like to be the student on the other end of the lie about teacher quality. I asked them to own up to that lie when Congress ultimately reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the most recent version of which is the No Child Left Behind Act. I asked: “Why is it OK for students like me to be taught by teachers-in-training? If intern teachers are good enough for me, why aren’t they good enough for the students down the road in Beverly Hills?”

A few of the staff members seemed interested and looked me in the eye. But some looked right through me and just said, “OK, thank you” when I finished. (I may be 19, but I’m old enough to know what that really meant: I don’t care.) Some told me that this definition of “highly qualified” was necessary because there weren’t enough fully certified teachers who would take jobs at schools like mine. But I want to know why the federal government is more interested in hiding the fact that poorer schools are more likely to get poor-quality teachers. Don’t tell me you’re giving me highly qualified teachers when you’re actually giving me teachers who have only just started their training and have never been in front of a group of students before. And don’t pretend you’re giving me the same quality of teachers that kids down the road in Beverly Hills are getting.

If interns really are the best you can get to teach me, my elected representatives should own up to it—and make my school district and state own up to it, too. Parents, students, and the public deserve to know what’s really going on. Then we can start working together to bring fully prepared and effective teachers to my school.

Look, maybe my story isn’t the worst out there. At least I was lucky enough to pass my math classes and get through high school. I still have a shot at a college degree and the career in nursing I’ve always wanted.

But I think those opportunities mean I have an even greater responsibility to speak up and make sure that what happened to me doesn’t happen to my younger sisters and the other students going through the system today in South Central Los Angeles.

So I went to Washington. I’m not sure my legislators heard me, but hopefully others will listen. The future of millions of kids around the country depends on it.



Candice Johnson is a member of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, or ACCE, and a freshman at California State University, Los Angeles. She is also a plaintiff in Renee v. Duncan, a legal challenge to the U.S. Department of Education regulation that permits intern-teachers to be labeled highly qualified and concentrated in poor and minority schools.

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Wieghtloss

Well, I've had my second weigh-in @ Curves with better results then my first. Interestingly with 5 weeks and less visits I have lost 7cm around my waist and a whole, entire 500grams... Yet gained body fat (again).

I definitely wasn't expecting any change given the trolley incident and a huge lump on my ankle (I think it may be broken? Or that the bone juices have seeped out and formed a lump?) I certainly have not done much to deserve such a loss.

As time wears on I do feel a bit more desperate to shift the baby-fat-gain... again... I'm good like that.

I definitely DO FEEL stronger, and a lot looser (in a good way)... I've got my body back... Now I just need to get it into shape...

So now to kick start my new 'diet'... If you see me at McDee's eating... feel free to tell me off!!

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Encouragement from others, namely Michael & my sis-in-law
2. Fruit
3. Milk Shakes - the protein type ;) & banana ones (Frozen banana & milk ONLY :D )
4. 5:30am starts with exercise (even though they don't happen nearly enough
5. Movement and Flexibility I have gained in the past 2 months

Disclaimer: Before you go telling me off about going on a diet just be assured that its just more fruit & veges less chocolate & ice cream...

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Home Schooling: Proud Mummy Moments

• Avigail is learning to roll over, watches everything and talks LOTS. She can engage a 'baby convo' with just about anyone who will stop to talk back.  @ 4months
• Jarah wants to get into the academic scene & is the gentlest, kindest lil 2yr old to his baby sister. He is also learning to do jobs like pick up the dishes off the floor (that he threw down), feed the chickens, & put dishes away.
• Amalia just wrote her name on the white board, without me asking her, without a letter prompt. Age 3 yrs 7 months. Although it is not unusual for her to ask me first and last thing and lots in between in the day to do school work. She's not learning anything in particular because, well, she's 3 & has plenty time ahead of her. Besides I suspect she already has learnt some of these things. She has completed SEVERAL activity books and grown a LOT academically over the past term.
• Isaiah is wanting to learn Hebrew, piano & guitar & sings ALL day long.                   "Aleph, Bet, Vet... " He is also almost finished the first in the Maths-U-See program 'Primer' 2 weeks and he should be done. He is learning to read the time digital and clock face. Which is a rather big feat I reckon because it includes skip counting by 5, knowing quarters, and also double digit numbers up to 59. Along with a few sight words also. He writes his 5 item shopping list and then we go buy them. He can even read what he has written! Whooh :P

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Letter From the Pencader Website - It's official!

To the Pencader Family:


We are pleased to announce today that after a discussion with Secretary Lowery’s staff at the Department of Education, the Secretary will recommend to the State Board of Education that Pencader Charter High School will remain open for the 2011-2012 school year.

The State Board of Education will vote to finalize the Secretary’s recommendation at its meeting in Dover this Thursday at 1 p.m. Mrs. Minnehan and Dr. Lewis will represent Pencader Charter High School at the State Board of Education meeting tomorrow.

The Board, administration and staff of Pencader Charter High School wish to thank Secretary Lowery for this decision and the faith she has shown in our school. We are sure you will join us in working hard throughout the next school year to show Dr. Lowery that her faith in Pencader is justified.

We also wish to thank all of those who joined together and supported our school. During the past few weeks we have shown that by working together, there is nothing that the Pencader family cannot achieve. There will be a meeting this Monday July 25th at 7p.m. at the school at which time the Board would like to thank everyone involved in the campaign to save Pencader for all of their hard work and dedication. The Board and administration will also be available at that time to answer any questions the community might have regarding Secretary Lowery’s decision. Thank you all again for all you have done in our efforts to keep our school open. “We are not going anywhere!!”


Sincerely yours,

Harrie Ellen Minnehan                          Ann E. Lewis, PhD.

President, Board of Directors               School Leader

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Sec. Lowery's Recommendation: Pencader to Remain Open

A lot of activity on the Save Pencader Facebook Page today indicating that Lowery has recommended that the school continue to operate! 

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Right Now...

A glimpse into what is going on RIGHT NOW... 2:28pm

Michael is at work
I am getting all worked up about not being able to do anything
Isaiah has gone out with miks mum & aunts & uncle
Amalia is disobeying me. She will not rest for quiet time
Jarah has been put into bed for the 100th time in the past hour and a half because he is OVER TIRED & stayed up half the night last night. His door is now shut & he's asleep already.
Avigail cries if I put her down or let her go
Daisy (dog) is chasing chickens

Bubba who sleeps all night wants close body to body contact with me only.
I have so many things to catch up on its not funny.
I just cleaned the fridge out to find the clean drying drawer now has an egg cracked into it (cos I've been with bubba).

I can blog coz bubba is on my chest but I can't do the dishes or clean the kitchen or pick up toys or prep dinner.

This sort of stuff happens when you have lots of little kids.

Thankfully I did the homeschooling early at the breakfast table while still in our PJs and the other children were busy eating their cereal and pouring milk on the table.

Now at 2:39 (yes it takes that long to type the above one handed with kids)
Jarah is asleep, Isaiah is gone, Avigail is sleeping on me & Amalia is finally having her quiet time. Think it is time to get up, get dinner ready, get the kitchen tidied before I run out of time and the kids wake up.
xx

ETA: Jarah is teething which explains the highly sustainable tantrums... poor kid...  Plus I got dinner made, kitchen tidied, dishes put away at a pay increase of 3 jelly beans instead of 1, hall semi-tidied & a child returned. On another note my permanent fixture has temporarily been removed and is now giggling, squealing and talking on the bed a whole 15cms from my body. *grin*
I {heart} My Job :)

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NYC eliminates performance bonuses... until they find another pay for performance model

What we already knew, reconfirmed.

From the NY Times:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/education/18rand.html

Highlights:

“We did not find improvements in student achievement at any of the grade levels,” said Julie A. Marsh, the report’s lead researcher and a visiting professor at the University of Southern California. “A lot of the principals and teachers saw the bonuses as a recognition and reward, as icing on the cake. But it’s not necessarily something that motivated them to change.”

The results add to a growing body of evidence nationally that so-called pay-for-performance bonuses for teachers that consist only of financial incentives have no effect on student achievement, the researchers wrote. Even so, federal education policy champions the concept, and spending on performance-based pay for teachers grew to $439 million nationally last year from $99 million in 2006, the study said.

The study, commissioned by the city, is to be published Monday by the RAND Corporation, the public policy research institution. It compared the performance of the approximately 200 city schools that participated in the bonus program with that of a control group of schools.

City officials did not dispute the study results, but they said they did not believe the money was wasted, and indicated that they would continue to seek a merit pay model that worked.

We KNOW it doesn't work, but we're going to keep trying it anyway???  Brains, anyone?

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Home Schooling - Ice Cream "Heart"

Every now and then but not often yet too often I get books out of the library. I hate doing it because I never manage to return them on time (Shock horror I did this time). Grabbing a couple of cook books for the children to go through and see what they wanted to make. Of course the PINK HEART shaped 'cake' with those "things" was chosen. So I thought I better.

I told my very beautiful and lovely sister-in-law (who tries nicking my kids) about it and that I wanted to buy a heart shape pan & she gave me one (to borrow - hey its still in my cupboard). I was rapt!!
Kids were rapt-ter!!

I remember being a kid and seeing these amazing photographed dishes of food (like the cake book done by women's weekly - you know what I'm talking about!) & wanting to bake them so they looked EXACTLY alike. Sometimes we did but it never seemed to be the same. So I purposely set out to be a fun mum on this one *no matter the cost* you know how it is.

HOW TO:
So, you scoop multiple spoons of ice cream into the pan, cover it with clingwrap and press down. The heat from your hands makes the top 'flat'. Then freeze. When frozen place in a sink of shallow hot water for around 30 seconds then tip out on a plate and put into freezer again.
Ice with whipped cream, icing sugar & decorate. It can go back into the freezer like that. Serve.

I'm telling you though, be careful what you show your children. We are a sucker for pink and heart shaped things in our house. Especially with lollies on top.

Just so you know, it tastes like ICE CREAM :) Although I reckon it would be better made in SUMMER then in winter... Just Sayin
xx

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Homeschooling - Slimey Goop Stuff

Once again I state, that I am awed of the flexibility of our schooling days. At any time of the day we can suddenly change what we are doing, grab a recipe and start creating. I am fairly certain that on this day (picture taken day) that I was determined to have a great, educational, learning, fun day & you 3 kids (Avigail is just perfect) were determined to make that impossible.

You know the good thing about being so much older than the children means that your intelligence, experience & knowledge can give you an equal burst of determination to not let that happen. This day I pulled a fast one, & not only did it work but it set the rest of the day up for fun.
With a simple basic recipe of cornflour, glue, water & food colour (not too much dye) we were set for some serious play.

This goopy stuff is slimey and yet will also allow you to roll it up like a sausage and snap it like a stick. Roll it in your hands enough it will turn powdery and then you can spread it out on the table like Isaiah did above.

Clean up is easy enough, or chuck kids & goop into the bath (I promise they wont come out sticky, or green).

From here while you sit and chatter, & they show you how amazing they are, you can teach them anything you want to. Draw letters or numbers into it, create, make, whatever takes your children's fancy.

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Book: A is for Adam

                                                  {Photo chosen for its hilariousness}

These books are awesome & a must have for every creation-based home environment schooling or not. The children have been learning their alphabet through this (natural reinforcement) & I've learnt a great deal myself. They are currently my favourite children's books & also the children's.

They are hard copy and have photocopiable (is that a word?) pictures in the back to photocopy. We also have the DVDs (both A is for Adam & D is for Dinosaur) which are great & a must watch. (They can be hired at our local Christian Bookshop if your interested).

Click HERE for more information.

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Home Schooling - Lesson in Skeletons

I have to say that without a doubt I am blessed to have the opportunity to teach and train my children in their academic studies. I am grateful that in our country it is not mandatory to send our children to a public or private educational institute.

I am in the belief that children learn better in that which interests them. I am not entirely sure how it come about but our oldest (5yrs) has had a strange fascination with the bones & blood in our bodies. One day I got a book with illustrations of the body (skeletel, muscles, bones, eye, ear canal, etc) & he loved it. I think one part of his interest is because it is HIS body that we also talk about, that and the fact that blood is in 'cords' or 'tubes' in our bodies and he can see them.

Imagine my surprise & delight as a homeschooling mum when I waltzed into Dick Smith & found these things below for $25. They have skeletons, muscles, the eye, the ear, female & male reproductive organs, & a baby in utereo <--- I want that one!

At age 28 I learnt that the top bone in your leg is called a Femur & there are TWO bones in the bottom half of your leg called a Tibula & Fibula. My children have learnt this at age 3 & 5. Not that age matters, it just means to me that they've learnt something at the same time that I learnt something.

I loved making this 3D puzzle of the human body. I loved how I could see what I was talking about and what went where and see the different kinds of joins in my very own hands, & I loved that the children could do so also. It also shows where the major arteries & veins are also.

I love that they can go back and do it again also :) 

I could go back and buy EVERY box that they have!! I'll keep adding to our 'body' collection.

5 Things I am Thankful for: 
1. Puzzle type activity
2. Price
3. Learning through touch
4. Cheat Sheet that tells me what Im looking at and what they're called
5. Home schooling

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Bad Wireless Generation! Bad dog!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leonie-haimson/post_2205_b_899493.html

Rupert Murdoch, Joel Klein, and Wireless Generation.  All in one succinct article.  If it comes from Huffington, it's got to be good!

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School Choice - Demystified! Straight from the Code!

TITLE 14
Education
Free Public Schools

CHAPTER 4. SCHOOL DISTRICT ENROLLMENT CHOICE PROGRAM
§ 401. Establishment; statement of purpose.

(a) There is hereby established an enrollment choice program within the public school system of this State.
(b) In establishing this program, it is the goal of the General Assembly to increase access to educational opportunity for all children throughout the State regardless of where they may live. It is therefore the intent of the General Assembly that this chapter be construed broadly to maximize parental choice in obtaining access to educational opportunities for their children.
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 1996, and each succeeding school year, a parent residing within this State may enroll that parent's child in a public school in any school district in the manner provided in this chapter.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.;

§ 402. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "District of residence" shall mean any reorganized school district in which the parent of a student resides.
(2) "Good cause" shall mean a change in a child's residence due to a change in family residence, a change in the state in which the family residence is located, a change in a child's parent's marital status, a change caused by a guardianship proceeding, placement of a child in foster care, adoption, participation by a child in a foreign exchange program, or participation by a child in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program, or a set of circumstances consistent with this definition of "good cause."
(3) "Parent" shall mean parent, relative caregiver pursuant to § 202(f) of this title or legal guardian of the person of the child.
(4) "Receiving district" shall mean any reorganized school district other than the district of residence in which a student seeks to enroll. Where the district of residence includes more than one school or more than one program within any school providing instruction at a given grade level, and a parent of a child entering such grade level applies to enroll that parent's child in a public school program within the district of residence other than the program in which the child would normally be enrolled based on the child's place of residence, the district of residence shall also be considered to be the receiving district for all purposes of this chapter, except for the purposes of § 408 of this title.
(5) "Working days" shall mean working days as determined by a school district's administrative calendar.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 242, § 6; 75 Del. Laws, c. 48, § 1.;

§ 403. Pupil application; withdrawal.

(a) Any parent of a school age child may apply to enroll that parent's own child in a school or program in a receiving district by submitting a written application, on a form provided by the Department of Education, to the receiving district and to the district of residence on or before the second Wednesday in January for enrollment during the following school year in a program in grades 1 through 12, or on or before the first day of the school year for enrollment in a kindergarten program during that school year.
(b) If a parent of a school age child fails to file an application by the deadline established in subsection (a) of this section, and good cause exists for the failure to meet the deadline, the receiving district and the district of residence shall accept and consider the application in the same manner as if the deadline had been met.
(c) The parent of a school age child may withdraw the application at any time prior to action on the application by the board of the receiving district by giving written notice to the boards of the receiving district and the district of residence.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 387, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 20; 71 Del. Laws, c. 242, §§ 4, 5; 75 Del. Laws, c. 48, § 2.;

§ 404. Receiving district procedures.

(a) Within 10 working days of receiving an application, the receiving district shall transmit a notice to the district of residence that it has received the application.
(b) The board of the receiving district shall take action no later than the last day of February of the school year preceding enrollment to approve or disapprove an application for admission to a program in grades 1 through 12, and no later than June 15 of the school year preceding enrollment to approve or disapprove an application for admission to a kindergarten program.
(c) With respect to any application filed in accordance with the provisions of § 403(b) of this title, the board of the receiving district shall take action to approve or disapprove the application no later than 45 days after receipt thereof.
(d) The board of the receiving district shall transmit a notice of the board's action to the parent of the child, and to the board of the district of residence within 5 working days after board action.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 387, § 2.;

§ 405. Criteria for approval or disapproval.

(a) Each receiving district shall adopt and make available upon request a policy regarding the order in which applications for enrollment pursuant to this chapter shall be considered.
(b) Prior to the applicable application deadline established in § 403(a), each receiving district shall adopt and make available upon request a policy establishing criteria for acceptance or rejection of applications and setting priorities for acceptances. Such criteria shall be reasonably related to the nature of the program or school for which the application is submitted. Such criteria shall include the authority of the receiving district to reject an application based upon the requirements of any applicable existing individualized education plan relating to an applicant who has special needs. The policies adopted by each district shall, at a minimum, give priority to the following categories of students in the order listed:
(1) First, to returning students who continue to meet the requirements for the program or school, including students graduating from 1 school to another within a single program;
(2) Second, to students who meet the requirements for the program or school and who seek to attend based upon the residence of the student's parent within the designated feeder pattern, if any, for the school; and
(3) Third, to the siblings of students already enrolled in the school, provided that any siblings seeking priority under this paragraph meet the requirements for the program or school.
(c) A receiving district may disapprove an application because of lack of capacity in the district. It may also disapprove an application for a particular program or school because of lack of capacity in the program or school. For purposes of this subsection, "capacity" shall include but not be limited to such considerations as space, class size and enrollment restrictions reasonably related to the nature of the program or school for which the application is submitted.
(d) A district which is subject to a court-ordered desegregation plan may approve and disapprove applications in accordance with § 406(a) of this title.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 242, § 7.;

§ 406. Racial balance.

(a) If approval of all of the applications for transfer into or out of a district would result in the district being out of compliance with any applicable court-ordered desegregation plan, the district shall establish the number of majority and minority group pupils who may transfer into or out of the district.
(b) Any action by the board of the district of residence to disapprove the application pursuant to this section shall be taken no later than March 15 of the school year preceding enrollment.
(c) The board of the district of residence shall transmit a notice of the board's action pursuant to this section to the parent within 5 working days after board action.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3.;

§ 407. Duration of enrollment in receiving district.

(a)(1) A pupil accepted for enrollment in a school or program pursuant to this chapter shall be entitled to remain enrolled therein until graduation from the school or completion of the program provided that the pupil continues to meet the requirements for such school or program, provided however, that upon the concurrence of the boards of both the district of residence and the receiving district, a pupil's right to remain enrolled may be terminated prior to graduation from or completion of the program where such termination is based upon the pupil's
a. Failure to continue to comply with the receiving district's requirements for attending school or class, or
b. Multiple violations of, or one or more serious violations of, the receiving district's student code of conduct.
(2) A pupil accepted for enrollment in a school or program pursuant to this chapter shall remain enrolled therein for a minimum of 2 years unless, during that 2-year period,
a. A pupil graduates from the school or completes the program;
b. The pupil's parent or parents cease to be residents of the pupil's original district of residence;
c. At the conclusion of any academic year during such 2-year period, the pupil ceases to meet the academic requirements for such school or program;
d. If daycare was indicated on the relevant choice application as a reason for seeking enrollment, or if daycare was a reason for granting priority to consideration of or granting of the relevant choice application, or the provider of daycare services to the pupil ceases doing business or relocates to a location so distant from the original location as to render the original combination of daycare and choice enrollment no longer reasonably practicable for the pupil or the parent or parents of such pupil; or
e. The board of the district of residence, the board of the receiving district, and the parent or parents of the pupil agree for any reason to terminate such enrollment;
f. The provisions of paragraphs (a)(2)a. through (a)(2)e. of this section shall apply unless the receiving district, at its sole discretion, agrees to maintain a child in a choice placement. Due to the unique educational and developmental needs of primary age children, on a case by case basis, districts may grant exceptions to allow students in grades kindergarten through grade three to remain in school choice even if they fail to meet required educational standards.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a parent may apply to terminate that parent's own child's enrollment in the receiving district prior to the expiration of the minimum period established in subsection (a) of this section by submitting a written application, on a form provided by the Department of Education, to the child's then-existing district of enrollment no later than December 1 for enrollment during the following school year.
(c) If a parent of a child fails to file an application by the deadline of December 1 and good cause exists for the failure to meet the deadline, the child's then-existing district of enrollment shall accept and consider the application in the same manner as if the deadline had been met.
(d) The parent of a child may withdraw the application at any time prior to action on the application by the board of the child's then-existing district of enrollment.
(e) Within 10 working days of receiving an application to withdraw, the child's then-existing district of enrollment shall transmit a notice to the district of residence that it has received the application.
(f) The board of the child's then-existing district of enrollment shall take action to approve or disapprove the application no later than December 15 of the school year preceding enrollment.
(g) The board of the receiving district shall transmit a notice of the board's action to the parent of the child and to the board of the district of residence within 5 working days after board action.
(h) The action of a board in a child's then-existing district of enrollment to accept an application to terminate enrollment pursuant to this section shall be final; however, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a board in its sole discretion from conditioning its approval of termination pursuant to this section upon acceptance of the child into another district or program pursuant to an application submitted in accordance with chapter.
(i) Unless accepted for enrollment in a school or program in another district pursuant to this chapter, a child whose enrollment in a receiving district concludes or terminates pursuant to this section shall automatically be re-enrolled in the child's district of residence for the ensuing school year. Any such student shall be enrolled by the district of residence according to the feeder pattern in which the child's parent resides unless, pursuant to the provisions of § 405(b) of this title, all available space has been filled by returning students, in which case the student shall apply and be considered for enrollment in any other school in the district of residence in which there is space available in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 20; 71 Del. Laws, c. 242, §§ 1, 2; 72 Del. Laws, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 258, § 138.;

§ 408. State and local education funding.

(a) A pupil enrolled in a receiving district pursuant to this chapter shall be included in the unit count of the receiving district for all purposes relating to the allocation of all state and federal education funding and shall not be included in the unit count of the district of residence for any such purposes.
(b) If a parent of a pupil enrolled outside the district of residence pursuant to this chapter moves during the school year to a district different from either the district of residence or the receiving district, the child's first district of residence shall continue to be responsible for payments to the receiving district for the balance of the school year pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. The child's new district of residence shall be responsible for all such payments during succeeding years, and such payments shall be calculated as the lower local cost per pupil, as defined in subsection (d) of this section, of the new district of residence and the receiving district.
c) The Department of Education shall annually calculate the local cost per pupil expended by each school district for each type of pupil for the school year immediately preceding and shall annually certify each district's local cost per pupil expenditure by September 1 of each year.
(d) Local cost per pupil as used in this section shall be calculated as follows:

Total Operating Expenditure in Preceding Fiscal Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Division I Units minus Special School Units
Number of Pupils per Unit
Where:
Total local Operating = Sum of all expenditures
Expenditure in from local sources minus
Preceding FY local expenditures for
tuition minus local expend-
itures for debt service minus
local expenditures for Minor Capital
Improvement minus local cafeteria
expenditures minus any other local
expenditures deemed by the Secretary
of Education to be inappropriate for
inclusion for the purpose of this chapter.
Division I Units for each = Division I Units certified by
District or Special School the Department of Education
as of September 30 of each
year
Pupils per Unit = Number of Pupils required for
one particular unit of funding
as specified in § 1703 of this
title

(e) The district of residence shall, except as provided for in subsection (h) of this section, pay to the receiving district the lower local cost per pupil expenditure of the 2 districts, adjusted by an inflation factor specified annually in the annual appropriations act, such payment to be made by November 30 of each year. In the case of a district of residence that has a higher local cost per pupil than the receiving district, the district of residence shall pay in to a special fund to be known as the "School Choice Fund," the difference per pupil between their local cost per pupil expenditure and that of the receiving district. The Department of Education shall establish and administer the School Choice Fund as an appropriated special fund account. Deposits by districts of residence to this account shall also be completed by November 30 of each school year.
(f) Once all payments have been made pursuant to subsections (b) and (e) of this section, the full amount in the "School Choice Fund" account shall be allocated to all receiving districts that had a local cost per pupil, as defined in subsection (d) of this section, that was higher than the district of residence for pupils choosing to attend schools in districts other than their district of residence. These funds shall be provided in a pro-rata fashion so that the gap that exists in a receiving district between the local per pupil cost in the receiving district and the amount paid by the district of residence is closed by an equal percentage in each receiving district.
(g) Once all payments have been made pursuant to subsections (b), (e) and (f) of this section, the State, from the annual appropriations made for Division III Equalization and/or that portion of the Growth and Upgrade Contingency that represents actual Division III Equalization unit growth, will provide funding to all receiving districts that had a local cost per pupil, as defined in subsection (d) of this section, that was higher than the district of residence of pupils who choose to attend school in said receiving districts. This funding will be provided to each such receiving district so that the gap that exists in such receiving district between the local per pupil expenditures in the receiving district and the amount paid by the district of residence is closed by an equal percentage in each receiving district to the extent that the actual appropriations allow.
(h) Any pupil, who because of educational need, requires services that are appropriately financed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 6 of this title, either at the outset or subsequent to a decision to enroll in a public school other than a school in the pupil's district of residence, shall remain the financial responsibility of the district of residence. The amount of the financial obligation shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 6 of this title.
 (i) Any payment received by a local school district pursuant to this section may be used for current operations, local share of minor capital improvements, local debt service payments or to make tuition payments.
(j) In the event of any mid-year termination of a pupil's enrollment under this chapter, nothing contained in this section shall prevent the district of residence and the receiving district from entering into an agreement providing for the pro-ration of student funding between or among the district of residence, the receiving district, a successor district of residence and/or a successor receiving district.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 132, §§ 362, 363; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 21; 71 Del. Laws, c. 242, § 3; 71 Del. Laws, c. 354, § 384.;

§ 409. Transportation.

The parent of any child enrolled in a district other than the district of residence, or enrolled in a school within the district of residence other than the school in which the child would normally be enrolled based upon the residence of the child's parent or parents, shall be responsible for transporting the child without reimbursement to and from a point on a regular bus route of the receiving district.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 132, § 369; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 22; 76 Del. Laws, c. 280, § 404.;

§ 410. Interscholastic sports.

A student enrolled in grades 10 through 12, inclusive, in a receiving district shall not be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletic contests or competitions during the 1st year of enrollment in any receiving district if the student was enrolled in a different receiving district during the preceding school year unless the interscholastic sport in which the student wishes to participate is not offered in the receiving district in which the student was enrolled in the previous school year.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3.;

§ 411. Pupils suspended or expelled in district of residence.

If a child for whom an application has been submitted pursuant to this chapter has been suspended or expelled in the district of residence, the board of the receiving district may, in its sole discretion, refuse to consider the application or refuse to approve the application, or refuse to enroll the child in the receiving district until the child has been reinstated in the district of residence, provided, however that nothing in this section shall be construed to enlarge upon the authority of any district to accept for re-enrollment any student who has been expelled from a school district in this State, as such authority is limited by the provisions of § 4130 of this title.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3.;

§ 412. Credits; graduation.

A pupil who has been enrolled in a receiving district and who has met that district's graduation requirements shall be granted a diploma by that district. That district shall accept credits toward graduation requirements that were awarded by another district.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3.;

§ 413. Discipline not affected.

Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to affect or alter district policies with regard to disciplining students, including suspensions or expulsions.

70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3.;

§ 414. Intra-district choice.

Where the district of residence includes more than one school or more than one program within any school providing instruction at a given grade level, a parent of a child entering such grade level may apply to enroll that parent's own child in any public school program within the district of residence other than the program in which the child would normally be enrolled based on the child's place of residence in the manner provided in this chapter, and in such cases, the district of residence shall also be considered to be the receiving district for all purposes of this chapter, except that the provisions of § 408 of this title shall not apply to any such applications or changes in enrollment.
70 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.;
http://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c004/index.shtml

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NJ Editorial Board: Reach Academy has earned right to a future

Let's break this one down.  I'm in purple:

Reach Academy has earned right to a future

11:31 PM, Jul. 14, 2011
5Comments

New life for Reach Academy Charter School can't just turn on the fact that 200 girls would be thrust into traditional public schools well after the school choice options have closed.

The NJ attributed this same misfact regarding school choice to me in its Pencader story last week.  That time, it was apparently added after the story went to the editors.  School Choice law allows for Good Cause.  A student can choice into any Delaware school that has space.  Reach's closure would surely constitute good cause. 

• (2) "Good cause" shall mean a change in a child's residence due to a change in family residence, a change in the state in which the family residence is located, a change in a child's parent's marital status, a change caused by a guardianship proceeding, placement of a child in foster care, adoption, participation by a child in a foreign exchange program, or participation by a child in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program, or a set of circumstances consistent with this definition of "good cause."   http://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c004/index.shtml

After a miserable first year of financial mismanagement and staff changes, Reach's survival must now rest on its credibility in getting the money right.  

Actually, Reach's survival rests upon two things: Yes, they must get the money right.  But, they must do so without negatively affecting the classroom.

On Tuesday, Delaware secretary of education Lillian Lowery recommended the charter be allowed to reopen on probation, which indicates the new school board met this priority.

And it did so by accepting the willing hand of Brandywine School District Superintendent Mark Holodick, to guide it in financial management.
This 'good neighbor' partnership includes access to David Blowman, Brandywine School Districts' chief financial officer. Blowman is a former executive assistant to Lowery's predecessor Valerie Woodruff.

In 2006, he was among the original state advisers sent to assess the scale of financial problems in the Christina School District that Lowery uncovered soon after being named its superintendent.

That team determined the district was bankrupt and in need of a $20 million loan, which it finally repaid to the state this year.

I wish just one editor at the NJ would fact check! The state offered Christina $20 million in 2006 with a five year repayment plan.  But, the district only accepted $15,007,624.  That's a difference of five million dollars - peanuts to the Journal, but a very meaningful number to tax payers.  And the loan was not just "finally repaid to the state this year." The significance of the language chosen by the NJ would imply that Christina's repayment was not timely. In fact, all loan payments were made to the state according to the five year repayment plan established in 2006. 
Lowery is not over the top when she frames the partnership as "huge," because Reach's issues were not about academics.

"It was the fiscal piece ... they have the right people now to vet them appropriately," she said.

They have the "right people now to vet them appropriately."  Dr. Lowery, they always had the right people - they had you and your department who, despite the appearance, is beholden to the laws that govern education in Delaware, including the responsibility to inform and assist charter schools in developing the Citizen Budget Oversight Committees.  Delaware legislators may be willing allow the laws they pass to langish, but the people who elect them are increasingly of a different mind! 

And while I am certain that Mark Holodick and David Blowman are good 'peeps,' simply because they are known to DOE does not automatically qualify them to vet Reach.  Within in my term as a board member, I have developed a respect for Public-Charter Partnerships, and believe it would behoove Delaware to develop them, I am concerned that this in fact a back door move to transfer Reach's charter to the public district - a process simplified by the changes to the law that the legislature passed this June - a bill that langishes on Markell's desk.  I bet my bottom dollar that Markell signs it at Reach!

That alone is enough for the state Board of Education to vote to keep Reach Academy open for a second year during its meeting next Thursday.

NJ - Reach should remain open because it has merit and a strong financial plan, not because it added a couple well-known to DOE Delawareans to its CBOC.  It isn't who you know - it's what you do with that knowledge.  And that's what your opinion piece here, completely missed.

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Markell in line to lead NGA - Earns NGA the Bad Apple Award

What a mistake!  The NGA will cripple themselves with the appointment of a classic self-serving, double talking, politician.  Lucky You!  Quotes from today's News Journal.  My comments are in yellow.

"I don't want to get Gov. Markell in trouble, but he's probably my favorite Democrat," said Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican. "Unlike some in his party, he appreciates that government at its best promotes the flourishing of private life..."

Added Daniels: "I think Jack could be a really persuasive spokesman for us."

He's a phenom, Mitch, especially if you don't mind the lies he eschews to further his own political career... And clearly, spewing untruths works as he's moving up the line for a great reward. 

 

"Markell's direct pipeline to Vice President Joe Biden also is seen as an advantage for the NGA in negotiating with the White House on pertinent issues facing the state.

"That's why he's great for us, because he has such a great relationship with the vice president," said Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, the outgoing chairwoman of the NGA.

Christine, everyone in Delaware thinks they have a great relationship with the vice president. Even Delawareans who can't stand him still claim two degrees of separation in our small state.

"When we're together, we don't really care -- I certainly don't care -- if an idea is a Republican idea or a Democratic idea," Markell said. "If there's an idea that's very creative and effective, I'd like to borrow from it."

Hey, NJ, I think you got another quote wrong.   As a governor, he doesn't care about anything but his political aspirations, least of all campaign promises and transparency.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110718/NEWS02/107180320/Markell-line-lead-governors?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|s

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The Poo-la Post

I am on vacation -- just saw Tim McGraw for the 14th time tonight -- and I'm typing this on my iPhone in the dark. I'm working on a great post, but it's obviously not going to happen tonight! Just thought I'd share a funny little story from a few weeks ago...

My grandmother died at age 59 of colon cancer, so it has been suggested that our family members start colonoscopies at 40 years of age. I went in this April for my first one.

My husband went with me, of course. I've probably mentioned this before, but if I could only use one word to describe David, the word would be clever.

We were sitting in the waiting room, surrounded by people much older than us, and he starts quietly telling me that he thinks I should "go all natural," embracing the experience of the colonoscopy. He starts telling me that I don't need the drugs. He even says he'll be my poo-la.

By the time the nurse came back to get me I was laughing so hard I was crying. She thought I was afraid of the procedure.

Just so you know, it was a piece of cake, and because I know you are wondering, I don't have to go back until I'm 50! Woo-hoo!

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My Statement At the Public Hearing on the Future of Pencader Charter

Last Wednesday I attended the public hearing on the future of Pencader Charter School.  For several weeks prior to the hearing I had received correspondence from Christina constituents regarding the Charter School Accountability Committee's recomendation to revoke the schools charter.  I chronicalled much of their fight here on C&E 1st.  I also approached the school's leaders to discuss the schools financial viability and history of achievement and rates of graduation.  I arrived at my own personal opinion regarding Pencader's place in Delaware's educational landscape.  I presented those opinions during the public hearing.  Mine was but one short statement during a hearing that ran nearly five hours, far exceeding the two hours originally allotted by DOE. I was not the only elected official to offer a statement - Sen. Margaret Rose Henry sent a representative on her behalf to request that Pencader continue to operate.

I made statement 1) knowing that there would likely be repercussions back at home from those who are unable to speak frankly about Christina's acheivement struggles 2) acknowledging that this was an opportunity to have honest discussions about achievement and the current state of education across Delaware, and 3) betting that some media outlet would fully distort my message (which absolutely occurred in the Thursday News Journal and was finally partially rectified online Saturday night.)

Today, I am posting my entire statement, as it was presented during the hearing in Dover:

Good Evening,                                                 July 12, 2011


I am Elizabeth Scheinberg. While I am a school board member in the Christina School District, I am not here to speak on behalf of the Board. However, I have been asked by my constituents to share my personal concerns for the Christina Students who attend Pencader Charter High School.

I am fully aware of the status of Pencader’s finances. Their deficit is not insurmountable and pales in comparison to the debt that my own district actualized only five short years ago. It was our legislative champions who recognized the dire need for the Christina School District to continue operating. Today, that same dire need exists for Pencader. To that end, our dedicated legislators have acted to impart the necessary safeguards through HB 205. As of today, the bill is before the Governor awaiting his signature. His hesitation should not be held against Pencader or any other charter school.

I’d like to talk to share my thoughts on the impact of closing Pencader Charter High School and my concerns for the approximately 308 Christina School District Students who have choiced to Pencader. If Pencader were be closed, 308 Christina families will be forced into a mad dash for placements for their children. Some may, although it’s highly unlikely, find a home at other existing charter schools. Those who are economically advantaged may seek out Delaware’s private schools, space permitting.

However, in all likelihood, the majority of my 308 Christina students will return to their home schools, Newark, Christiana, and Glasgow. I welcome those students back with open arms. However, in doing so, I am ethically-compelled to address the hard reality of Christina’s achievement history, especially that of my comprehensive secondary schools. It is an unpopular decision to vocalize these concerns. But, these are the hard conversations that must occur if we are to improve achievement outcomes for all students in Delaware.

Christina is currently a district under academic watch.

Newark High School, traditionally referred to by the community as our college prep school, is in Academic Watch. Newark High School is closed to choice due to capacity limitations and will likely remain so for some time to come. Only those Christina students who naturally feed into Newark High can be accommodated at NHS.

Glasgow High School is also under Academic Watch, in addition to undergoing an intense, disruptive, and destabilizing transformation as part of its selection into the Partnership Zone. As we prepare to re-open Glasgow for the 2011-2012 school year, we have already completed assigning students into academies according to preference. While Glasgow will have a business academy, that option is only available to freshman and sophomores, and only if space permits. Juniors and Seniors who transfer to Glasgow will be required to join the Success Academy. Even though Christina’s s juniors and seniors at Pencader have already demonstrated a commitment to completing their secondary education with a business focus, the business academy will NOT be available to them.

Christiana High School is currently under Academic Progress, a rating shared by Pencader. However, CHS spent much of the 2010-11 school year in triage after the loss of its foundation, when our capable principal left to work with the Department of Education. It was spring before Christina was able to hire a permanent replacement. While I am confident that CHS will rise above its recent instability, it should be noted that

1) DCAS data and AYP achievement are embargoed until the July 21st State Board of Education Meeting, and until the embargo is lifted, it is nearly impossible for the constituents to determine if CHS has continued to improve achievement and therefore could be a good fit for any of Christina’s Pencader students.

2) There are prolific rumors abounding regarding which schools will be selected by the Department of Education to be a part of the final cohort of Partnership Zone schools. Many in our community deeply believe that CHS will go into the PZ, the net result of which would be prolonged de-stablization while turnaround plans are created, approved, finalized, and implemented. I am troubled because I cannot assure my constituents that CHS will not be chosen for PZ intervention.

As a district, Christina is working hard to improve our educational offerings and increase student achievement. I applaud the many dedicated employees in Christina who have made student success their number one priority. But if student success is to be the pinnacle priority, we must admit the reality – Pencader’s businees offerings do not innately streamline with Christina’s academic offerings or electives, nor can we offer Christina’s Pencader students a seamless transition into a comprehensive high school that performs on par or better than Pencader.

While many of us are here today to support the continued operation of Pencader, I have come to support Christina’s children and families, who have chosen Pencader for their academic future. I understand why many of these Christina families choiced out of the district. For at least a decade, Christina leadership fostered an environment of status quo failure. While I am certain that today, the Christina board is driven to mitigate the failures of our predecessors, we still have much heavy lifting to do. The families at Pencader have made their choice and I believe that given a solid plan for financial solvency, it is our moral obligation to continue to respect the decisions of those families and allow their children to remain at Pencader.

Turning families out at the end of July is morally-reprehensible. Again, I reiterate that I believe Pencader will be solvent. However, should closure be the ultimate recommendation, we owe our families a comprehensive exit plan. I urge the decision-makers to approve Pencader’s operation for an additional year, to prove their solvency, and provide accountability regarding said solvency in January 2012. Should Pencader fail in this task, such a delay would allow for DOE and the receiving districts and schools to plan appropriately for the transition of the affected students, while providing parents and guardians with the time to research which school would be the best option for their family. I believe that given such a plan, Pencader will prove successful and continue operating for years to come.

I urge you to support Pencader Charter School, and respect the work of their reconfigured board and school leadership. When we speak of student achievement, we speak of haste, of racing – the time is now! Despite Pencader’s financial woes, Pencader’s student achievement was NOT impacted. Their time is now and we, educators, tax payers, and Delawareans, need to give this school a second chance.

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The night of a million untruths... Notes on the CSD 7/12/11 Business Meeting

I'd like to share some thoughts regarding Christina's Public Board Meeting last Tuesday at Bancroft Elementary School.  These thoughts do not constitute official minutes of any kind, nor do they represent the opinions of the Christina Board or District.  They are mine and mine alone.

1) Congratulations to our new board leadership, Pres. Eric Anderson, and V Pres. Fred Polaski. 

2) Thank you to all the Wilmington constituents who came out to our board meeting.  It was refreshing to see the influx of concerned citizens.

3) There is not now, nor has there been in my term, a recommendation to cease having our monthly public board meetings in the City of Wilmington. There is not now, nor has there been in my term, a recommendation to change the frequency of our meetings in the city.  For those who came to the meeting believing that Christina's board was vacating the city, you have been lied to.

4) There is a board action item regarding the locations of our monthly meetings. 

• The board is studying whether limiting ourselves to a singular location in each portion of the district would increase community and parent involvement.  Traditionally, our meetings engage far too few members of the public.  I have heard from suburban-based constituents on multiple occasions that our schedule of constantly changing locations has a tremendous impact on their decisions to attend meetings.
• Until Tuesday night, I had never received any feedback from my Wilmington constituents as to their preferences for our public meetings.
• In June, the board began a discussion as to whether we should enact changes regarding locations.  The rotation of meetings would stay the same and we did approve the dates.  Staff was requested to determine which locations would be the most appropriate.  Should the board choose two singular locations, administration recommended Sarah Pyle Academy and Kirk Middle School.
• Before the board could even begin a discussion on this topic with the requisitioned information, we received considerable public comment from community activists and elected city officials regarding their desire to continue the meeting schedule as it has been for the last 30 years.  There was a lot of angry rhetoric aimed at the board - much of stemming from the falsifications that someone has been propagandising.  Therefore, I want to share a heartfelt statement with all Christina constituents:

I do not believe that there are any among us, members of the Christina board, who have any interest in disaffecting any of our constituents.  We began the process of evaluating locations in order to determine whether a change to a 30-year-old process would warrant greater involvement.  I do not believe that the existing 30-year-old practice is adequate nor successful. It simply has not driven in the community engagement that this board desperately wants to compel.

I listened to our constituents Tuesday night who articulated the desired propagation of the current practice.  As such, I motioned that the board continue to rotate our locations in the city as our constituents requested and to dedicate a single centralized location in the suburbs as my Newark constituents have requested.  This was to be a best of both worlds compromise.  It was met with a former board member grandstanding - after public comment had long ended - about how the City and Suburbs should be treated equally followed by blasphemous blame upon the current board for 30 years of division and inequality between those portions of the district separated by 15 miles of highway.  My motion failed along with a couple others.  Ultimately, Mr. Young presented a motion to maintain our rotating locations district wide.  It passed.

As for the board workshops - this discussion will be continued July 26th at our Gauger-Cobbs workshop.
It's important to note to that the provision for monthly workshops is a mechanism that the 2010-11 board implemented.  These meetings are not a part of the boards 30 year history. With the increased demands being placed upon school boards due to the state and national education climate, some board members have found some of its work cannot be given due consideration during the regular monthly business meeting provided for in state law. The workshops allow board members, administration, and the public to sift through pertinent education issues - and is some cases, less-pertinent, yet strategic ideas.

Again, I believe our board genuinely wants unity and equality across our district. I was three years old when the deseg order came down to Delaware.  I was not a part of the board that utilized forced busing as required by law nor of the board that attempted to close schools or implement neighborhood schools.  After thirty years, Christina has a rich, though sometimes troubled history. We are stymied by problems inherent of disparate poverty throughout our district.  Poverty doesn't care about the 15 miles of highway.  We are officially a minority-majority district, as well as the largest district in the state.  Our board is one attempting to rise above decades of failure, and a fairly recent financial meltdown to spur achievement regardless of where within Christina our children reside.  While there is much to be learned from our history - and it can never be forgotten - I cannot stress enough that berating our board for having difficult conversation about the best way to balance our constituents requests and achievement goals is simply an ineffective strategy.  Yes, some past Christina boards may not (personal experience here - refused to) listen to the public, I ran for my seat in Christina, because I was determined to change our district's culture.  Because I believed that we, as a board, could do better in setting policy and expectations and in responding to the needs of our families and communities.

As stated, our board will continue to tackle the topic of workshop locations, later in July.  I sincerely hope that our constituents now realize that someone told them vicious rumors intended to question the integrity of the board.  I am certain that it was by design and not error. It is important to note that should our constituents have such mind boggling concerns in the future - board members are available every day to set the record straight.  We each avail ourselves to the public through the publication of our personal contact information on the district website.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to us.  And please, when you hear something as ludicrous as the the flat-out lies shared last week, don't wait for our once a month business meeting!  Call us immediately!

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Camping: Our Family Love

For some {unknown} reason this non-adventurous wife & mother likes to go camping, away from everyday life, away from the equipment that requires batteries or power to operate & get back to creation, with the people that I love & cherish the most of course.

Except this lil thing... She is not my friend, she is not my traveling companion, and she was not a joy having to sit between my legs in our over-packed car, up & down, around & around in our 4WD.

Actually I don't always enjoy the trip out, too many car accidents, too many trees, too many near misses, Yeah! I got issues!... I'll admit it.

The Hero, pumping up the flattened Air Bed, that he later let out so we could sleep on the solidly hard cold floor - Did I mention I was not impressed?

Typical "US" packing, kids jammed in, stuff jammed in... We are seasoned travelers. We've done this plenty times before.

Hard @ Work setting up camp

The Scene, Our Campsite, Our View

Yep, this place has great views ALL round

Peaceful, Serene, Quiet, Alone...

We home school out there, natural learning. The kids love it.

I don't like the packing and unpacking though. Makes me not want to go. & I do NOT like traveling with the dog at my feet. Seriously, next time the dog stays home!!

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Washing

This kid spins me out:

Yesterday (Monday) was my designated "washing day" which means I do between 10 & 20 loads of washing in one giant, long hit. This works well for *me* because I manage to do things in BULK rather than a slow and steady pace. Kind of like: The Hare & The Tortoise. You know the story right? How the Hare says to the Tortoise I'm faster than you and they race. The Hare takes off so fast and is almost at the finish line when he stops to have a rest. When he wakes up the Tortoise has won the race... Well... I'm The Hare. Which has its bonuses, but mostly stuff piles up til its ridiculus, then wham its done and finished with.

Anyhoo...

Yesterday, I was in our 'carport/lean to' thingy hanging washing up, when Isaiah says to me "Can I help?" [Home Schooling Mother Here!!!] Course you can mate!! So help he does.

So today, the boy comes up to me, asking me if I am going to do washing today. Well No Son! I did washing yesterday, but what are you up to? Usually I am posed with the question "Are you tired" which I usually replied yes or a little bit. He always says "Go have a sleep", some days he'll say "Go have a sleep, I wont go outside". So reassuring right? So I am wondering, what is his motive? What does he REALLY want to do? What is he getting at?

So he checks the washing machines (I have TWO), Yep they're done he states. Grabs a washing basket, rounds two helpers & pulls all the washing out. One machine had been washed, the other was just sitting their. He needs pegs (he reckons) so he goes OUTSIDE. Yep that is what he wanted I am thinking. Grabs the pegs, comes inside and hangs the washing up ALL BY HIMSELF!!! (the going outside distracted two helpers from helping).

No devious plan, no sneaky ideas, no alterier motive.

Love him... LOTS!!!

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Birthday Parties

Since Jarah had his first birthday last year (2010) we have had a lot of talk about birthday's in our home. Truly the children don't currently understand what that ACTUALLY means but we talk about it often enough.

For a (long) period of time our favourite song was "Happy Birthday", and each time a cake was made or even saw it just HAD to be somebody's birthday & the singing commenced.

Being married to a man who was raised as the oldest of 9 siblings means there is a LOT of birthdays. Which has given plenty of opportunity to talk about birthdays. Buying gifts, baking cakes, singing happy birthday. But I guess one of the most enjoyable parts (as a mother) is the birthday PARTIES that the children have attended recently.

I guess it is rather amusing really that the birthday parties the children attend the most happen to be uncle or aunties.

I remember the excitement building up for birthday parties. Do you?

My MIL (Nana Shaz) does birthday parties alot differently to the way my mum did them. She plays funny games, like musical bobs, & bum shuffle, & egg & spoon race (Pictured Below with my kids). My kids are not entirely sure what is going on but they play along.

On asking my two oldest what they want for their birthday (as in present) they have both asked for a head lamp. You know one of those camping lights that gets put on your head? Funny hey!

On any given random day one child might announce that it is their birthday today, and that they need a cake, a present (always the head lamp) & sing happy birthday. Isaiah will tell you that he wants to play a game which varies on the day he tells you. Sometimes there is balloons requested.

On the day of a birthday party when I let them know they are going (cos it would be silly to let them know before hand) they ask if there will be a cake, and balloons & then... they'll tell you its their birthday as well.

Actually some days we argue over who's birthday it is, before I crush them both with news it is no body's birthday. Some times we are told "nope, I havn't had a birthday yet". They know how old they are going to turn with their next birthday (although Amalia might tell you she's going to be 5, that is because she WANTS to be as old as Isaiah).

Birthday's are a big deal in our house! Just not so great a deal to me... the mother... who birthed them all...

The above photographs were taken at an Uncle's birthday. (10yrs? maybe 9... or 11?) They did the egg and spoon race, and I laughed my little head off the entire time. See my Amalia? She is wondering WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THE EGG & THE SPOON IN MY MOUTH!!! She just didn't get it, but that's okay!

Oh! what sweet joyous memories...

& with that... I must end... Cos I think Aunty Vicky has come to play...?? Nope false alarm...
Blessings all round... xx

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