SCUSD Observer
Next Blog»
Create Blog | Sign In
SCUSD Observer
Public meeting space for news, commentary and discussion related to the Sacramento City Unified School District. Not affiliated with or sanctioned by the district in any way, this blog is a free-speech exercise designed to connect the activist community encircling the public education system in Sacramento, California.
In the News
Drastic reduction of summer school approved Thomas Jefferson to mark closing with reunion St. HOPE board ousts executive director Health Professions High School's first grads are ready to change the world Sacramento-area school districts weigh class sizes School of Engineering and Sciences excel in challenge Local summer school offerings West Campus principal gets the boot, NAACP cries foul Sacramento schools to be honored as 'distinguished' Sick kids and teachers at Oak Ridge Elementary SCUSD and teachers discussing furlough days SCUSD names teachers of the year Editorial: St. HOPE needs to restore order Former St. Hope exec. cites obstruction of justice in resignation later District considers second round of layoffs Matsui supports green schools investment Official at agency that gave grants calls St. HOPE settlement ‘a farce’ District to receive millions in stimulus money St. HOPE turnover concerns SCUSD unlikely to hire superintendent by July target Susan Miller: What Multiple Pathways is about Sacramento group still fighting for new high school Narrative on a SCUSD records request Despite struggles, SCUSD to expand
Friday, June 12, 2009
Updated 12 p.m.
KJ gets excuse note from Obama
President Obama Fires Controversial Inspector General (ABC News) Obama fires AmeriCorps’ inspector general (MSNBC) U.S. Sen. Grassley: Calls on administration to safeguard independence of Inspectors General *** President Barack Obama claims he doesn't have confidence in Inspector General Gerald Walpin, the man who investigated Mayor Kevin Johnson's dealings with AmeriCorps and misuse of federal funds to operate St. Hope. So Obama has decided to fire Walpin. Beyond saying that he did not have the "fullest confidence" in Walpin, Obama gave no reason for his action. According to Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, a strong advocate of inspectors general, Walpin received a call from the White House Counsel's office on Wednesday evening. Walpin was told that he had one hour to either resign or be fired. Senate sources say Walpin asked why he was being fired and, according to one source, "The answer that was given was that it's just time to move on. The president would like to have someone else in that position." Walpin declined to resign. This does not pass the smell test...developing.... * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 9:09 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: Barack Obama, Charles Grassley, Gerald Walpin, Inspector General's report,
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
E-21 program SCUSD unveils "Multiple Pathways" for small high schools Two Sac City middle schools take national debate honors More Sac Unified schools face closure Four Sacramento Schools Slated to Close Sacramento-area schools to soon see stimulus aid Deal involving Johnson clears way for Sacramento to get U.S. funds Kevin Johnson – St. Hope timeline Five Sacramento Schools Face Closure This Year Sac. High Charter hires firm to probe risk of losing federal funds Genesis High closure plan to be aired for community As economy sinks, more schools doing social work Police officers will be lunch pals, protectors at local schools Talk of city school consolidation alarms parents, teachers Sacramento schools closure debate plays to packed house Capitol protest targets teacher layoffs Sac City offers tentative ideas to close, consolidate schools Two former West Campus teachers speak out against school's admission policies District officials remain tightlipped about how many schools, if any, would be closed. For Schools, Absences Mean Lost Revenue Sacramento region teachers facing wave of pink slips Specter of school closures prompt Sac City Unified meetings SCUSD Has Cut $20M From Budget Sac City Unified explores costcutting options Budget Woes Could Shorten School Year St. Hope schools owed $1 million to SCUSD under Johnson Toxic schoolyard Sacramento school officials look at possible closures SCUSD financial outlook Feds investigating St. HOPE find 'numerous' potential violations Kevin Johnson, St. HOPE suspended from receiving federal funds Percentage of California students passing high school exit exam drops
Kevin Johnson, St. Hope
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Cancellation of Summer School?
SCUSD has called a special board meeting for tomorrow, June 11. The agenda has an action item that will drastically reduce the SCUSD summer school program. The staff's recommendation to the board outlines a need only for 11th and 12th grade summer school, presumably for students who are in need of credit recovery. The proposal will obliterate remediation instruction for elementary, middle and 9th and 10th grade students. * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 2:49 PM 1 comments post Labels: Budget, Special Board Meeting, Summer school Links to this
Friday, June 5, 2009
Congratulations Graduates!
Especially noteworthy are the seniors of Genesis High School, who graduate this evening. The SCUSD Observer wishes you the best of luck! Complete list of SCUSD graduation dates... * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 4:15 PM 1 comments post Labels: Genesis High, Graduation Links to this
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Why St. Hope is so important?
Today's Sacramento Bee editorial page features an opinion about Sacramento Charter High School and PS7's astounding academic performance gains. Some of the positions stated in the editorial have merit but one glaring omission makes the entire read irrelevant: the students that these charter schools reject for behavior and academic problems get shipped out to Hiram Johnson and other SCUSD public schools -the district has no special charter rules to impose on these students and the district is mandated by law to educate everyone. St. Hope is not bound by the same rules. The handpicking and "old guard possessiveness" that the editorial decries of St. Hope leadership doesn't just stop at the administrative level and it's inexcusable that the Bee's writers miss that point. *
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
Contribute or send a news tip
via E-mail
Subscribe To
Posts All Comments
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 5:27 AM 2 comments Links to this post Labels: Hiram Johnson, PS7, Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Charter High School, St. Hope Charter Schools
* *
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Next Board Meeting -- Thursday, June 4
Search
Search This Blog
powered by
Agenda Here * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 7:00 AM 0 comments post Labels: Board Meeting
Links to this
Blog Archive
June 2009 (4) May 2009 (12) April 2009 (21) March 2009 (15) February 2009 (12) January 2009 (16) December 2008 (2) November 2008 (8) October 2008 (6) September 2008 (7) August 2008 (6) July 2008 (3) June 2008 (13) May 2008 (30) April 2008 (17)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Special Board Meeting - Thursday, May 28
To finalize the Superintendent "Profile" Agenda * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 4:27 PM 0 comments post Labels: Ray and Associates, Superintendent
Links to this
Friday, May 22, 2009
Labels
A.M. Winn Elementary (1) Access (1) Adult Education Week (1) Alice Birney (6) America's Choice High School (1) Area 4 candidates (1) Art (1) Asset Development (1) Barack Obama (1) Benchmark Testing (2) Black Parallel School Board (1) Board Facilities Committee Meeting (2) Board Meeting (22) Board Policy Review Committee (1) Bond Oversight Committee Meeting (1) Bret Harte Elementary School (1) Budget (26)
SCUSD Superintendent survey
Follow this link to fill out the survey. * * *
The due date for input has been extended to Monday, May 25, 2009. Let your voice be heard.
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 9:43 AM 0 comments post Labels: Ray and Associates, Superintendent
Links to this
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A stinking, rotten mess
Ah, the squirming begins yet again. Kevin Johnson's spokesperson, Steve Maviglio will try to convince us that Rick Maya's allusion to obstruction of justice charges are just a simple technology goof. Gerald Walpin, the Inspector General, is a rogue character and the
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
C.K. McClatchy (1) California Middle School (1) Charles Grassley (1) Charter School Reform (3) Class Size Reduction (1) co-location (1) College Enrollment (1) Commentary (4) Community Forum (10) Community Meetings (4) Consent Decree High School (6) Copper Thieves (1) Darlene Anderson (2) Darrell Steinberg (1) David Chance (1) Demonstration High School (1) Diana Rodriguez (4) Distinguished School Award Recipients (1) District Advisory Committee (1) Donald Terry (6) Doris Matsui (1) e-21 (5) Education Equality Project (1) education summit (3) Election (11) Ellyne Bell (1) Equity (1) Facilities Use Agreement (3) Father Keith B. Kenney (1) Freeport Elementary (1) Fremont School for Adults (1) Genesis High (5) Gerald Walpin (1) Graduation (3) Gustavo Arroyo (5) H.W. Harkness (1) Heather Fargo (3) High School Dropout Rate (1) Hiram Johnson (4) Hubert Bancroft (2) IDEA (1) Inspector General's report (2) Isadore Cohen (1) James Cramer (1) Jerry Houseman (2) John F. Kennedy High School (3) John Morse Waldorf (1) John Sloat Elementary (2) Jump Start 21 (1) Karen Young (4) Ken Cooley (1) Kevin Johnson (27) Kit Carson Middle School (4) Language Academy (1) Layoffs (3) LBHS (1) League of Women Voters (2) Leo Bennett-Cauchon (3) Leonardo DaVinci (1) Lisbon (6) Luther Burbank High School (1) Maggie Mejia (3) Maple Elementary (1)
SCUSD administration says everything is in order, nothing to see here folks...but the wallpaper is peeling and underneath lies a stinking, rotten mess. New charges could undermine St. HOPE settlement Sacramento City Unified School District officials said they will continue to monitor the St. HOPE Public Schools situation but noted that most of the concerns cited in Maya's letter involve the charter schools' relationship with St. HOPE Academy, which is a private nonprofit not under their control. The district authorizes the charters that allow St. HOPE to run Sacramento Charter High School and PS7 Elementary School. The charter schools pay rent to the school district for two campuses. "Our main point is looking at the fiscal solvency," said district Interim Superintendent Susan Miller. "They've met their timelines, so we don't believe that will be a problem." At tonight's board meeting presumably Deputy Superintendent Tom Barentson will present St. Hope charter school's quarterly report and a discussion about facilities will ensue among SCUSD board members. * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 7:16 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: Board Meeting, Budget, Kevin Johnson, St. Hope Charter Schools, Susan Miller, Tom Barentson
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
St. Hope in meltdown mode?
Updated 1:19 p.m Inspector General urges grand jury probe READ: Special Report to Congress from the Office of the Inspector General concerning St. Hope's misuse of federal funds. *** The Sacramento Bee, through the Freedom of Information Act, has obtained former St. Hope CEO Rick Maya's resignation letter from the charter school's board of directors. Submitted last month, Maya's letter (along with three other board members' resignations) reveals further criminal activity on the part of Sacramento's mayor and his henchmen. New allegations of obstruction of justice, serious fiscal insolvency, violation of the Brown Act, secretive back-room dealings and abuse of authority surface with Mr. Maya's letter.
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
Marian Anderson (2) Mark Hopkins (3) Martin Luther King (2) Mary Shelton (1) Matsuyama (1) Michelle Rhee (1) Multiple Pathways (1) National Teacher Day (1) No Child Left Behind (2) O.W. Erlewine (1) Oak Park Prep Middle School (2) Old Marshall Adult Education Center (1) Pacific Elementary (1) Parent Survey (1) Patrick Kennedy (4) Phoebe Hearst Elementary (1) Pink Slip Terrorism (1) Program Improvement (1) PS7 (5) Ray and Associates (3) Rick Jennings (1) Rick Maya (3) Rob Fong (1) Roy Grimes (3) Sacramento Bee (4) Sacramento Charter High School (29) Sacramento Mayoral Race (2) SAVA (1) School Closure (38) School Consolidation (41) School of Engineering and Sciences (1) School Suspensions (1) SCTA (2) SCUSD Observer (1) Serna Center (1) Small High School Information Night (1) Social Justice High School (1) Special Board Meeting (9) Special Election (1) St. Hope (4) St. Hope Charter Schools (14) St. Hope financial arrears (2) Stop the Mayor's Power Grab (1) Student Technology Showcase (1) Summer school (1) Superintendent (6) Susan Miller (9) Sutter Middle School (4) Teacher Layoffs (4) Teacher of the Year (2) The Met (1) Theodore Judah Elementary (2) Theresa Moung Hinh Saechao (2) Thomas Jefferson (7) Title 1 (1) Tom Barentson (4) Toni Chapralis (1) Toni Colley-Perry (2) vandalism (1) Vicki Simpson (1) VIMS (1)
The SCUSD Board of Trustees must immediately demand some answers to the questions Maya's letter raises. What is the vulnerable district's legal culpability in the fiasco that is St. Hope? The time is long past due to sever ties to this failed experiment which is so obviously in meltdown mode. * * *
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 8:05 AM 1 comments post Labels: Kevin Johnson, Rick Maya, St. Hope Charter Schools Links to this
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
SCUSD to hold open forum Thursday for public input on superintendent search
Thursday, May 21 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Serna Center Washington Conference Room, 5735 47th Ave. OR Thursday, May 21 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Genesis High School Multipurpose Room, 5601 47th Ave. More Information If you can't attend the meeting, you can submit your comments by following this link.
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 3:14 PM 0 comments post Labels: Community Forum, Superintendent Links to this
Monday, May 18, 2009
Statewide Special Election - Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. More information Read the propositions
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 6:47 PM 0 comments post Labels: Special Election Links to this
Saturday, May 16, 2009
You can call them Ray...and Associates.
The SCUSD Board of Trustees has hired Ray and Associates to conduct an accelerated search for a new superintendent.
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
Washington Elementary (1) West Campus (2) Where's My High School (2) Will C. Wood (4) Year Round Schools (1)
In a Birmingham, AL editorial last month, the firm was criticized for not thoroughly vetting a candidate that was ultimately hired to run the Birmingham school district and then forced to resign for integrity issues. Ray and Associates is also currently involved in head-hunting for the new superintendents in the following school districts: Oakland Unified School District, Brevard County schools (Florida), the Williamson County Schools Board of Education (Tennessee), and Montgomery County Schools (Virginia). At a special board meeting Thursday, SCUSD approved the firm's contract and also determined the constituent group meetings (community engagement) that will take place during the process. Will this search go right?
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 7:29 AM 0 comments post Labels: Ray and Associates, Superintendent Links to this
Local Links
Board of Education Sacramento City Teachers Assoc. Sac City DAC Sacramento County Taxpayers' League CA Dept. of Education
History
What Happened with Sac High?
The Blog Roll
This Week In Education Open Education - Free Education For All Educational Justice Coalition of Essential Schools Eduwonk.com
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Who is running this show?
At the risk of simply blogging as a Sacramento Bee critique, today we'd like to draw your attention to an editorial: Superintendent Search Drags On. The piece illuminates two (particularly) noticeable points: Thirteen months after Maggie Mejia announced her retirement, SCUSD is without a permanent superintendent. Teachers, principals and Teamsters unions announced Thursday that they do not want a search. They want the board to appoint interim Superintendent Susan Miller as the permanent superintendent. Why isn't a permanent superintendent in place now? Is it a result of board incompetence that this search is not complete? Are our new representatives so green that they just can't seem to get up-tospeed on what their responsibilities and priorities are? Or is it more likely that the District is without a superintendent because of an internal power struggle? What is the back story here? Susan Miller, together with Tom Barentson, have force-fed their worst-case-scenario economic policies to this newly-elected board and the majority have adopted Miller's recommendations without question. She's the teacher and they are the class. And with the editorial's revelation that the Teamsters are now involved in pushing for Miller's permanent hiring, the question of who is actually running this show takes on a larger intrigue.
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 7:19 AM 2 comments post Labels: Superintendent, Susan Miller, Tom Barentson
Links to this
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]
SCUSD Observer
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Most of That Has Died Down
In today's Bee, a story by Melody Gutierrez reports that SCUSD students who are having their school closed next fall get a choice about where to attend next year. A special open enrollment period for those students (which began on Monday) ends today. Toward the end of the article, Associate Superintendent Mary Hardin-Young is quoted. District trustees voted April 16 to close the four schools because of budget cuts, which prompted anger among parents and concern from school site staff. Hardin Young said most of that has died down.
Posted by Sac City Schools Observer at 6:22 AM 1 comments Links to this post Labels: Alice Birney, Genesis High, Lisbon, School Closure, School Consolidation, Thomas Jefferson
Older Posts Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
http://scusdobserver.blogspot.com/[06/13/2009 9:51:36 PM]